The Child Protection System in the Netherlands: Characteristics, Trends and Evidence

This chapter notes the characteristics, trends, and evidence of the child protection system in the Netherlands. It also expounds on the identification and processing of reports on child maltreatment such as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect. The basic principles of child protection and youth care are prevention, de-medicalization and normalization, parenting skills improvement, the safety of the child-rearing environment, and family group plans. Prevention and early intervention through parenting support, which is offered on a municipal level, have higher priority to deterring more expensive and specialized care. However, the research found that solutions for psychosocial and maltreatment issues for children and families are difficult to achieve.