We shouldn’t criticise Veilig Thuis – we should criticise the system
Every day, Veilig Thuis employees receive hundreds of reports of domestic violence and child abuse. Despite their efforts, they are heavily criticised due to the long waiting times. Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Children and the Law, appeared on talk show ‘Eva’ to discuss the Dutch care and welfare system.
Veilig Thuis is the national reporting hotline for child abuse, domestic violence and neglect. The organisation has a legal duty to provide advice, receive reports, investigate the truth of the facts reported and make referrals to support services. ‘Veilig Thuis itself is not a support service,’ adds Professor Bruning.
The organisation has a statutory period of five days during which it is obliged to launch an investigation. Each year, Veilig Thuis receives approximately 130,000 reports. Due to this high volume, staff are not managing to handle reports within that five-day period, resulting in heavy criticism. Professor Bruning says this criticism is not justified: ‘Too few staff and too little money are problems everywhere. The main thing that’s lacking is access to youth services – that’s currently extremely sparse.’ She is convinced that politicians are responsible for this problem: ‘The system is too complex, and it simply can’t go on like this. Children have a right to protection and care.’
More information
Watch the full clip from the 'Eva' broadcast here
Photo: Alexander Grey through Unsplash