Youth aid with referral

When freely accessible youth care is not sufficient, you can contact a number of organizations in Zoetermeer to discuss various forms of help and support that may offer a solution. Together, these organizations form 'the access'. They offer short-term support, can point you to more suitable forms of freely accessible youth care or can refer you to specialistic youth care. The municipality of Zoetermeer has organized access in the neighborhood, close to home. This ensures that every youth who needs youth care receives it in an accessible way.

The organizations that make up access

The following parties can talk to you about possible help and support:

The adolescent physicians of the Youth Health Department

Youth doctors at health centers and schools can refer to (all forms of) youth aid. Youth nurses have an important signaling function here. They work closely with the youth doctors and consult with them when it is suspected that a referral to specialized youth care is needed.

School social work in primary schools

School social workers operate in schools and provide individual counseling and training to students. School social workers at primary schools can also refer to some forms of specialized youth assistance.

The Primary Care Physician Practitioner (POH)-Youth

In every general practice a POH Youth is available to support the general practitioner in his role as referrer to specialist youth care. The POH-Jeugd has the expertise to counsel or treat children and adolescents themselves (for a short period of time). If, after a consultation with you and your child, the POH Youth is of the opinion that you can be supported more effectively by another organization, the POH Youth advises the GP about the help that is needed. This may be some form of freely accessible support or a referral to specialist youth care.

Youth and Family Support Team of the municipality of Zoetermeer

The Youth and Family Assistance Team (JGH) of the municipality of Zoetermeer performs various functions related to youth assistance. They offer consultation and advice for the other access partners and other professionals, refer to specialized youth aid and direct when the situation within the family requires attention in various areas of life. Some forms of (highly) specialized youth care can only be referred by JGH. For this, you can contact JGH via the website, among others.

Other legal referrers

In addition to the aforementioned access partners, the court, certified institutions (youth protection and rehabilitation) and medical specialists are also authorized to refer to specialized youth care.

Process to referral

When you approach one of these parties, they will work with you to find out exactly what is going on with your child, in your family and in your environment. Based on this, they will determine what actions are needed to support you and your child in finding a solution. Together with you and your child, the access partners formulate a number of goals and discuss with you what is needed to achieve the desired goals. This involves looking at what you or your network can do yourself, which freely accessible facilities may offer a solution and/or which forms of assistance can help. In addition to specialized youth care, this may also include help in the form of a personal budget, a social medical indication or help from the Social Support Act or Participation Act. When assistance is provided under the Youth Act, you will receive a referral to a youth assistance provider.

If you want to use youth aid, first visit your family doctor, pediatrician, medical specialist for a referral. You can also apply for Youth and Family Aid from the municipality. The municipality only pays for help from the date of the referral or from the indication date in the municipality's decision. This does not apply to a reindication that you submit at least 8 weeks before the end of your indication period. With a re-designation, you are asking for an extension of the youth care your child is already receiving. Do you not yet have a decision on the date your previous indication expires? Then you can continue the assistance and it will be paid for by the municipality.

Providers of specialized youth services

The municipality of Zoetermeer purchases specialist youth aid together with other municipalities in the Haaglanden region. On the website of Servicebureau Jeugdhulp Haaglanden (sbjh.nl) you can see which youth aid providers have a contract with the municipality and at which location they offer the help.