Dutch government pledges funding to reduce one-to-one youth-care placements

The Dutch government announced €77 million for youth-care regions on 25 September 2026 to develop more suitable care for young people with complex needs and help prevent one-to-one placements. The allocation covers 2026–28, with a separate €20 million reserved for national measures to improve residential care. [1]

The national funding is intended to give authorities a clearer picture of available provision, improve coordination so placements better match young people’s needs, and establish a quality programme with minimum standards. No separate funding period was specified for that €20 million. [1]

Youth care minister Sterk is also working with municipalities to find suitable alternatives for young people already in one-to-one placements, preferably within their own region. Regional care authorities are to involve child-protection institutions, expert teams, schools and parents in finding solutions. [1]

Matching care to young people’s needs

One-to-one care does not necessarily mean a young person lives alone. The national *Zicht op Jeugd* baseline study includes stays lasting more than a week where one or more carers provide dedicated support for most of the day, including within a small shared residential group. The study acknowledges that such placements can sometimes be suitable. [2]

Inspection findings illustrate some of the problems facing residential care. In a March 2026 report on providers at the Hoenderloo site, the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate identified inadequate care, insufficient education or daytime activities, and shortcomings in management safeguards. Its inspections, conducted from April to December 2025, also found that distance made it harder for referring authorities to oversee young people’s safety and development. Quality varied, however, and some providers delivered good care through qualified staff. [6]

There have since been improvements at one provider, Jeugdforce. In July, the inspectorate ended its intensified supervision after finding a better daytime programme, fewer restrictive measures and greater involvement of young people in setting their goals. Some improvements remained under way and subject to regular oversight. [7]

Night-time confinement proposal dropped

Sterk is also abandoning a proposed legal amendment that would have allowed young people in secure youth care to be confined to their own bedrooms at night. The proposal, set out in June 2025, concerned situations where their behaviour posed a serious danger to other young people or staff. [Sources 1, 4]

The minister said the need for the amendment could not be sufficiently substantiated. She also saw too great a risk that its use would gradually expand, including because of staff shortages. The government acknowledged that the safety situations behind the proposal still arise, and Sterk will discuss solutions with care providers. [1]