Kids in benefits scandal with study debts don’t know where to get help, State Sec. says

Many young people affected by the Dutch childcare benefits scandal do not know where to access support for the student loans they took on, caretaker State Secretary Sandra Palmen, independent, said. Palmen told reporters, "The problem is that I notice the programs simply are not being used yet. And let's start with that." She also rejected calls to cancel their debts entirely.

Her remarks follow a report from youth ombudsmen who collected testimonies from 1,875 young people from families that faced financial trouble after authorities demanded large repayments from their parents. More than half of these youths took out student loans to help keep their families financially afloat.

The youth ombudsmen from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Nijmegen presented their findings to Palmen and Education Minister Gouke Moes (BBB). They demanded the cancellation of these young people's student debts.

The ombudsmen criticized the response from Palmen and Moes as disappointing. "We miss any recognition from the state secretary and the minister for the problems these young people face. Their future prospects are at stake," said Rotterdam-Rijnmond children’s ombudsman Stans Goudsmit.

"Children of affected parents removed from their homes due to these problems receive recognition and access to a new program for education and work." As local youth ombudsmen, we believe this support should apply to all affected young people," Goudsmit said.