Youth support master plan aims to help thousands more young people in crisis
A plan to improve youth support programmes in Flanders should help an extra 2,000 young people by the end of the legislative term.
Youth care in the region has been in crisis for years: waiting lists are growing while beds remain empty, emergency places are not being used for children and young people in crisis situations, and investments are yielding few results.
The new master plan, presented by Welfare minister Caroline Gennez of Vooruit, was approved by the Flemish government on Friday.
“We do not want to leave any child behind or allow them to grow up in distress, because such children later become easy prey,” Gennez said. “For young people in a crisis situation, help must always be available.”
Pre-natal monitoring
Reforms include centralising available care so every party can see in real time how many places are available and where they are, and setting up a centralised waiting list operated by the government.
An app will be developed to enable fast and efficient matching between foster parents and children in need of emergency care.
"For young people in a crisis situation, help must always be available"
In addition, children will be monitored even before birth, by identifying vulnerable pregnant women – those who are alcohol or drug dependent or prone to mental health problems, for example – and offering them support. If parents refuse help, they can be placed under supervision.
The measure has been criticised by opposition party Groen. “In problematic situations, this will mainly result in vulnerable women avoiding seeking help for fear that their children will be taken away from them,” said co-leader Jeremie Vaneeckhout.
“In practice, it makes no sense as long as there are huge waiting lists. What is the point of forcing women to seek help if that help is simply not available?”
Shared confidentiality
The government will also amend legislation to allow for “shared professional confidentiality”. “Many services have all kinds of information about a child, but that information is not shared, which means people have to tell their story 10 times,” says Gennez.
“We are going to instruct social workers to work collectively around a child, which is currently prevented by professional confidentiality. Shared professional confidentiality reverses the logic: information is shared unless there is a good reason not to.”
There will be a 120 million euro investment in the sector, including 60 million for extra capacity in residential youth care and 18 million to give every family access to a Huis van het Kind support centre.
Another 15 million will go towards housing and employment support for young adults who leave care at 18.
"Many services have all kinds of information about a child but that information is not shared, which means people have to tell their story 10 times"
Flemish Christian democrats CD&V responded positively to the plan on Monday, saying the measures come “not a moment too soon”.
“The many Flemish families, young people, social workers and the sector deserve not only a great deal of respect, but also these promised investments,” said MP Toon Vandeurzen.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © PHOTO PQR / VOIX DU NORD / MATTHIEU BOTTE
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