CBS reported the number of children taken into state protection from families experiencing legal, social and financial problems in 2015-2021 due to mismanagement of childcare support. According to the statement, due to the miscalculations made by the Tax Office, the children of the families whose child care benefits were cut due to reasons such as “forgery in documents” and who were asked to pay a large amount in the past, were taken away from their children, this time on the grounds that they neglected their care after the financial destruction they experienced.
1675 CHILDREN “ACCURATELY” TAKEN INTO GOVERNMENT PROTECTION
It was noted that, upon the request of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, the care allowance tables were updated, and 1115 children in 2015-2020 and 560 children in 2021 were “accidentally” taken under state protection.
In the statement, it was stated that the link between the investigations carried out about families and the state protection of children should be investigated further.
In the Netherlands, the government set up a special team last month to work in partnership with municipalities and youth care centers so that children under state protection can be reunited with their families.
GOVERNMENT OF CHILDREN WILL BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT
In a study conducted by pedagogues and lawyers from Leiden University in the Netherlands, it was determined that the legal system was insufficient to protect children who were taken into state protection due to their families’ financial difficulties.
It was noted that the judges did not adequately assess whether it was necessary to put children under state protection and the possibilities of reunification with their families.
The Dutch Parliament will discuss the research’s findings on Thursday.
THOUSANDS OF FAMILY ACCIDENTLY DECLARED “FRAUD”
The Dutch Tax Office had decided to cut off the allowances of some families receiving child care assistance and to withdraw the aids due to erroneous or incomplete declarations, insufficient documents, irregularity and fraudulent documents.
The investigative commission, established by the Dutch Parliament in December 2020, revealed that tens of thousands of families receiving childcare assistance were mistakenly labeled as “dishonest” by government officials and that action was taken against these families.
In the report prepared by the commission, it was stated that the state officials made mistakes in the income examinations made on the families receiving child care assistance, those from certain ethnic backgrounds and those with dual citizenship.
The government resigned in January 2021 after it was revealed that discrimination was made, and compensation was paid to families who suffered discrimination and suffered because of the cut-off of care benefits. (AA)