Amsterdam must do more to protect homeless children, Ombudsman says

The rights of children without a permanent home are “seriously under pressure,” according to the Children’s Ombudsman for Metropolitan Amsterdam. The consequences for children can be severe, Annemarie Tuzgöl-Broekhoven wrote in a report.

The exact number of families without a permanent residence in the capital is unknown. The municipality reported earlier this year that 188 families requested emergency shelter between July 2023 and July 2024.

The ombudsman has observed that finding a place to stay is becoming increasingly difficult, partly due to the housing shortage. As a result, emergency shelters are filling up more quickly. “More and more families are forced to rely on their own networks. This leaves children in vulnerable situations, staying in unsafe environments or moving from couch to couch, sometimes separated from their parents.”

According to Tuzgöl-Broekhoven, the situation for children without a permanent residence is often difficult and sometimes unsafe. “The short- and long-term consequences for children are significant, ranging from out-of-home placements to addiction, mental health problems such as depression or trauma, and even homelessness later in life.”

The ombudsman argues that there is insufficient oversight of these children and their well-being. Tuzgöl-Broekhoven advocates for a “children’s rights assessment” to ensure better decision-making when allocating housing.

She also called on the city of Amsterdam to do more to prevent family homelessness and to develop “creative housing solutions.” In addition, homeless children should be monitored more closely.

It was also reported on Wednesday that Four major cities are urging the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament to give urgent attention to “the situation of economically homeless families.” Aldermen from The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Amsterdam signed a letter stating that “it is unacceptable that, despite previous calls, the national government refuses to take responsibility for these children.”

According to the letter, “economically homeless families” have an urgent need for housing but fall outside the scope of the Social Support Act. This law obliges municipalities to provide shelter for vulnerable, homeless people. Economically homeless families often do not meet the criteria to receive shelter under this law. Municipalities are not required to provide them with housing and receive no funding to do so.

Still, the four major cities often provide assistance to this group, the aldermen say, because “children should not be placed in vulnerable couch-surfing situations.” As a result, pressure on emergency shelters is increasing.