“… het is hier net zo’n gezellige sfeer als ik thuis vaak had”: Een Verkennend Onderzoek naar het Leefklimaat in Alternatieve en Traditionele Vormen van Residentiële Jeugdhulp

There is a fundamental debate about the desirability of (secure) residential youth care (RYC). Meanwhile, alternative RYC facilities are developing to meet the needs of youth for continuity and a sense of home. Home-like groups and family-style group homes belong to the group of alternative RYC. It is currently unclear whether these alternative settings better meet the needs of youth than traditional RYC settings. The living environment is an important factor in the psychosocial development of youth. In this cross-sectional study, we collected quantitative and qualitative data from 33 young people, 14 parents, and 35 professionals. A Mann-Whitney test shows that professionals’ sensitivity and the group atmosphere were rated higher in home-like groups compared to traditional RYC. Qualitative analyses show that youth in alternative RYC were more likely to feel at home and more likely to do activities together. Alternative RYC facilities appear to pay more attention to embedding youth in society, for example, by providing support for youth to pursue hobbies and investing in long-term relationships. These elements are also perceived as most helpful to youth. Investment in alternative RYC appears to contribute to more positive outcomes for youth in RYC.