Authorities call for action to limit youth care for "mild" issues amid system strain
Municipalities and the national government must act quickly to curb the growing number of young people relying on municipality-funded youth care, the Dutch Youth Authority warned in a report released Thursday. The agency said children and teenagers with what it called “mild” problems—such as anxiety or sadness—should rely more on their own support networks, instead of turning to youth care and putting further strain on the system.
Use of these “light” municipal services has surged in recent years, while demand for intensive forms of care has remained roughly stable. According to the Youth Authority, too much of the available funding still goes toward light assistance for relatively minor issues such as parenting struggles or everyday stress. As a result, scarce municipal resources are not being directed “where they are truly needed.”
The warning comes 10 years after the decentralization of youth care, when municipalities became responsible for organizing and financing the system. Despite significant efforts, the agency noted that continuity and availability remain under pressure, and many goals of the Youth Act have yet to be realized. The Authority identified three patterns blocking progress: failing to make choices, waiting for others instead of acting, and avoiding difficult conversations. These patterns, it said, prevent more effective use of resources and sustainable solutions.
Since 2015, costs have more than doubled, reaching €8.1 billion last year, and nearly one in seven children now receives some form of municipality-funded youth care. That share must come down, said then–State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen of the Christian Union in April 2023. He argued that young people experiencing sadness, anxiety, or stress could often be helped by their social circles rather than professional care.
The number of youth care providers has grown rapidly over the past decade to more than 6,000, many of them focused primarily on light forms of support. The Authority highlighted that many problems—such as school pressures, family financial stress, or performance anxiety—might be better addressed through social solutions at home, in schools, or in local networks, rather than by light municipal care.
To rein in the system, the national government is drafting legislation that would end the requirement for municipalities to reimburse every request for youth care. Local authorities say they are waiting for this so-called Scope Act, which was initially expected to be sent to the Tweede Kamer in 2024 but has now been delayed until at least next year. The proposal is already expected to spark debate, as it could mean that services like dyslexia treatment, resilience training, or help for stress, performance anxiety, or sadness would no longer be automatically covered by municipalities.
The Youth Authority criticized municipalities for remaining too passive while waiting for the new law, arguing that they can already take action. Municipal youth teams, the agency said, should more often set boundaries by declining requests for care they deem unnecessary. The agency also stressed that effective improvements are possible now without major reforms, if local, regional, and national stakeholders collaborate and take initiative.
In addition, the report highlighted that staff shortages and high societal expectations are among the sector’s biggest challenges, alongside financial and administrative pressures. The Authority urged less spending on forms of youth care whose effectiveness has not been proven—a call that has been made for years but rarely implemented—and encouraged municipalities to reduce bureaucratic burdens.
This edition of the Stand van de Jeugdzorg is the last one issued by the Youth Authority. From 2026, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) will take over responsibility for youth care oversight. The report’s insights, officials say, provide a valuable foundation for shaping future, sustainable policies.
