Rules for youth assistance in Zoetermeer

In the Netherlands, we have a Youth Act. It states that municipalities must provide youth assistance to children and young people up to the age of 18 who need it. This includes:

• Help with psychological, social, or behavioral problems.
• Help for children and young people with disabilities or long-term illnesses, enabling them to participate in everyday life.

The municipality must provide children and their parents with:

• help them figure out what help they need, free of charge
• clearly explain what the municipal rules are and what assistance is available
• forward to the appropriate organization if necessary
• explain that they can always see what information the municipality has and what agreements the municipality has made with them or with service providers

The regulation officially describes how the municipality organizes youth assistance.

What assistance is not covered by the Youth Act?

Not all assistance for children and young people falls under the Youth Act. Assistance with learning at school falls under the Appropriate Education Act. Regular childcare and after-school care are also not considered youth assistance. Care that is necessary for a child's health falls under the Health Insurance Act. The Long-Term Care Act (Wlz) is for children who, due to a disability, need a lot of care or supervision throughout their lives, day and night. If a child can receive assistance through the Social Support Act (Wmo), those rules apply first. Only then do we look at the rules of the Youth Act.

The municipality must always coordinate youth assistance effectively with other forms of assistance. Children and young people can receive assistance under the Youth Act until they reach the age of 18. The municipality must ensure that assistance continues effectively when a young person turns 18.

The municipality offers various types of youth assistance to children, young people, and their parents.

Help you can get right away

You do not need to ask permission for this assistance. You can receive assistance from:

• Meerpunt (Information and advice about parenting and growing up)
• Youth health care (e.g., the child health clinic)
• Youth work and community work
• School social work through school
• Family and youth coaching

Children and young people can also attend sports clubs, cultural and other leisure activities.

Assistance for which you need permission from the municipality

For some types of assistance, you will need permission from the municipality. This may include:

• Support or treatment at home or in an institution
• Mental health care for young people
• Outpatient care: assistance at home or on location
• Emergency assistance when immediate help is needed
• Stay with or without treatment (e.g., lodging or living in a group).
• Day treatment for children or adolescents
• Assistance required by a judge or the police (e.g., in cases involving safety or legal issues)
• Childcare that is necessary due to the parents' health or because parents have (social) problems
• Help with severe dyslexia

The municipality records the approval in a decision. This is an official document stating that you are entitled to the assistance. It also states how long this assistance may last and how often it may be provided. The municipality makes clear agreements with organizations that provide this assistance. For example, about:

• Who the assistance is intended for
• What kind of help is provided exactly
• How long and how often the assistance is provided
• The quality of the assistance
• What the result should be

Help with severe dyslexia

The municipality also provides assistance to children up to the age of 13 with severe dyslexia. This means that the municipality pays for the costs of examination and treatment if a specialist determines that this is necessary.

For some types of assistance, you will need permission from the municipality. There are two ways to obtain this assistance: through a referral or by applying for assistance yourself at the municipality.

Youth assistance following a referral from a general practitioner, medical specialist, or youth health care physician

A general practitioner, medical specialist, or youth health care physician can refer you to youth assistance. The municipality will then determine:

• what kind of help is involved
• what the purpose of the aid is
• when the assistance begins
• how long your child will receive assistance
• how the assistance is provided

The municipality authorizes the assistance and pays the costs. You will then receive assistance from a care provider with whom the municipality has made arrangements, for example in a contract or with a subsidy.

Applying for youth assistance yourself via the municipality

You can also request assistance from the municipality yourself. You can do this via Youth and Family Assistance. The municipality will then work with you and your child to assess the situation. The municipality can also help you clarify your request for assistance.

If you request assistance from the municipality yourself, we will follow the steps below.

Step 1: Urgency

Do you need immediate assistance? The municipality will always first check whether you are entitled to assistance. If so, the municipality will quickly grant permission so that assistance can begin immediately.

Step 2: Investigation by the municipality

The municipality will investigate what is going on and what kind of help is most appropriate. The municipality has eight weeks to conduct this investigation. We will do this together with you and your child. We will look at how your child is doing and how things are going in the family.

• Are there any problems such as psychological complaints, behavioral problems, or intellectual disabilities?
• How is your child developing? Is your child growing up in a safe environment?
• What do you and your child need, and what is important to you?
• Are you experiencing difficulties with parenting or adoption?
• What support does your child need to grow up healthy and safe and to be able to participate independently in daily life?
• Do you have sufficient resources to provide the necessary assistance?

If there is already a family group plan for your family, we will include it in the investigation. If the municipality is unsure whether youth assistance is needed, we will seek independent advice from an expert who is not involved in your case. You can get free help from someone who does not work for the municipality: a client support worker. They can help you think things through and give you advice.

Step 3: Plan for your family and decide on support

The municipality will draw up a report on the investigation and a plan for your family. If the investigation reveals that assistance is required that requires the municipality's approval, the report will also state:

• what the request for assistance is
• what help is needed
• why the help is needed
• what the aid should achieve
• what you and those around you can do
• what the agreements are regarding the assistance

If the report states that you can arrange the assistance yourself, for example with assistance for which you do not need permission, we will ask you to withdraw your application. You may respond to the report and have comments added. The municipality will check whether you have understood the report correctly. We will ask you to sign the report.

Step 4: Consent to assistance with a decision

Does the municipality believe that assistance is required for which you must obtain permission? In that case, we will also record that decision in a ruling. This is an official document stating that you are entitled to the assistance. It contains the agreements from the family plan and:

• Who arranges and pays for the assistance. Often, this is done by the municipality. Sometimes, you will receive money from the municipality to purchase assistance yourself with a personal budget (pgb).
• How to appeal if you disagree with the decision.

Is the municipality arranging the assistance? Then the decision will also state:

• What help your child will receive and how much.
• What the goal of the aid is and when it should be achieved.
• When there are interim discussions about how things are going.
• When the assistance starts and how long it lasts.
• How the assistance is provided.
• Whether other assistance is required that may be beneficial.

Are you purchasing assistance yourself with a personal budget? Then it states:

• What you should achieve with the help.
• When you discuss how things are going with the municipality.
• What are the requirements for the quality of the assistance?
• How much money you will receive and how it is calculated.
• What conditions apply to the personal budget?
• How long you will receive a personal budget.
• How to show where you spend your money.

Step 5: Start of assistance

Once the municipality has given its approval, the assistance can begin. You must contact a youth care provider within three months of the decision or spend the personal budget (pgb) on the agreed assistance. If you fail to do so, the municipality may amend or withdraw its approval for the assistance.

The municipality always first checks whether assistance is available that does not require your permission. If that assistance is appropriate for your situation, we will refer you to it.

How do we assess whether your child will receive help?

Your child will receive assistance that requires permission from the municipality if:

1. Your child needs help due to parenting, growing up, psychological, or behavioral problems, and
2. You, your child, and your network cannot solve the problem yourselves, and
3. The assistance for which you do not need permission is insufficient or does not work well enough.

Some questions are quite normal when raising and bringing up a child. For these types of questions, you will not receive youth assistance that requires permission from the municipality. The municipality also does not provide assistance for problems experienced by parents themselves, unless this is necessary for the safety of the child or if it directly concerns the child.

Can you solve the problem yourself?

You can solve some problems yourself. Sometimes you can do this with the help of family, friends, school, or other organizations. In that case, you will not receive any assistance that requires permission from the municipality. You are responsible for raising and caring for your child, even if your child has problems. But sometimes this is not possible, for example because you have limitations yourself, do not know enough or are unable to do enough, or are overburdened because you have too much to do.

If you are overworked, the municipality will look at how to reduce your workload. For example, we may expect you to reduce your other activities or adjust your work. In doing so, we will take into account what is feasible for your family.

What kind of assistance will the municipality choose?

The municipality will consult with you about appropriate assistance. We will look at your situation and that of your child, what assistance best suits your needs, and the agreements we have with youth assistance providers. We will also look at whether the assistance has been proven to work, whether your child has received the assistance before without results, and what the assistance costs. The municipality will always choose the cheapest assistance that suits your situation and is available in a timely manner. If you want other assistance that is more expensive, you will have to pay the difference yourself.

Transportation to youth services

You are responsible for transporting your child to the location where youth assistance is provided. If this is not possible, the municipality can assist. The municipality will arrange transportation if a child is unable to travel independently (or with the assistance of a parent or acquaintance) due to serious behavioral and/or medical issues. This also applies to young children who are not yet able to travel independently. Adapted transportation, such as wheelchair transportation, can be arranged in case of medical problems or if it is much faster than private or public transportation. In most cases, the municipality will opt for group transportation (such as a minibus). Private transportation is only possible if this is not feasible.

Are you entitled to assistance that requires approval from the municipality? In some cases, you can arrange and purchase this assistance yourself. This is possible with a personal budget (pgb). The municipality will then provide you with funds via the Social Insurance Bank to purchase the assistance yourself.

When can you receive a personal budget?

The municipality will first check whether you can receive assistance through a healthcare provider with whom the municipality has a contract. If that care is really not suitable for your situation, you can receive a personal care budget (pgb). This is only possible if:

• You can clearly explain why the assistance provided by the municipality through a regular youth care provider does not meet your needs.
• The municipality assesses that you (or your budget manager) are capable of managing the personal budget effectively and performing all the tasks associated with it.
• The municipality assesses that the assistance you wish to purchase with the personal budget is reliable and suitable for achieving the goal set out in your personal budget plan.

You cannot receive a personal budget in an emergency situation. Nor can you receive a personal budget for childcare that is necessary because of the parents' health or because the parents have social or other problems. The municipality may refuse to grant a personal budget if we have doubts about the reliability of the organization or person who will be providing the assistance. We also check whether you are being pressured by a care provider to apply for a personal budget.

Creating a personal budget plan

If you want to apply for a personal budget, you must draw up a personal budget plan. This plan must include:

• Why do you think the assistance offered by the municipality is not well suited to what is needed?
• What kind of assistance you want to purchase, what you want to achieve with this assistance, and how and when you will review with the municipality whether the assistance is working.
• Who will provide the assistance (which care provider or organization) and how exactly the assistance will be arranged.
• How to monitor the quality of assistance.
• The cost of the assistance, how many hours or treatments are required, and the amount charged for this.
• If someone from your own network is going to provide assistance, such as a family member or acquaintance, please indicate who that is and what kind of assistance they will be providing.
• Why you are capable of handling the responsibility for the personal budget and managing it well.

What skills do you need to manage a personal budget?

If you want to use a personal budget, you must be able to handle the responsibilities that come with it. In any case, you must:

• Have a clear picture of the request for assistance.
• Knowing the rules and obligations for a personal budget or being able to look them up.
• Being able to keep good records.
• Speak Dutch well enough to be able to communicate with the municipality, the Social Insurance Bank, and healthcare providers.
• Being able to choose your own care provider, without anyone else deciding for you.
• Be able to make agreements and explain why you did so.
• Be able to assess whether the assistance is effective and explain why this is the case.
• Arrange for assistance to continue, even if a caregiver is ill or on vacation.
• Knowing what to do as an employer or client and being able to hold care providers accountable for their work.

When are you not allowed to manage a personal budget?

A personal budget may not be managed by the same person or organization that provides the assistance. This is only permitted if the municipality gives its prior consent. You may not manage a personal budget (or have it managed) if you have problems that make this difficult. These include, for example, large debts, serious addiction, an intellectual disability, serious mental health problems, or if you are unable to read and write Dutch sufficiently well. You are also not allowed to manage a personal budget if you are unable to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) or if you have committed fraud in the four years prior to the application.

How much money do you receive with a personal budget?

The amount you receive as a personal budget depends on who provides the assistance.

• If a professional care provider provides the assistance, you will receive 90% of the amount that the municipality normally pays a care provider for the same assistance. This care provider must work for a care organization or be a self-employed person (freelancer) registered with the Chamber of Commerce. This person must also have the appropriate qualifications.
• If a family member, friend, or other acquaintance provides the assistance, the personal budget is lower: 75% of the minimum wage.

The municipality may give you less money if you can arrange good care with less money. The municipality reviews the amounts each year to see if they need to be adjusted and sets the amounts in separate rules. The municipality publishes the amounts at least once a year.

You are not permitted to pay for the following with a personal budget

A personal budget is intended to help pay for assistance. You may not use the personal budget for certain costs. For example, you may not use the PGB to pay someone to take care of the administration or application for the PGB. You may also not spend it on intermediaries, emergency assistance, or assistance abroad without permission from the municipality. You may also not use the PGB to pay for a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).

Youth care providers and other organizations must offer effective assistance. The assistance must be tailored to the needs of the child and the family and must be properly coordinated with other care. Organizations must use methods that have been proven to work. They must keep track of the results of the assistance and may not offer longer or more intensive assistance than is necessary. Employees must be well trained and work in accordance with professional standards.

When purchasing assistance, the municipality assesses whether the price and quality are appropriate. The municipality makes agreements with organizations that provide youth assistance and checks whether they provide good assistance. This is done through discussions with the providers, research into client experiences, and, if necessary, an inspection of the location where the assistance is provided.

Preventing abuse

The municipality wants to prevent anyone from abusing youth assistance or the personal budget (pgb). That is why we clearly explain your rights and obligations. We also explain what can happen if you apply for assistance to which you are not entitled or misuse the money.

You must always provide the municipality with all important information, even if the municipality does not request it. This allows us to assess whether you are still entitled to assistance or a personal budget (pgb).

If the municipality believes that the personal budget is being misused, it may temporarily suspend payment of the personal budget. Payment may also be suspended if your child is temporarily staying in an institution, such as a hospital or care facility. Payment will then be suspended for the duration of the stay. We can also reclaim money if the personal budget has been misused. If the municipality suspends the personal budget, we will always send you a letter.

The municipality regularly checks whether youth assistance and personal budgets are being used properly. In doing so, the municipality may:

• Review files to verify that everything is correct.
• Investigate whether the assistance is being used effectively or why it has been discontinued.
• Conducting fraud investigations at youth care providers to see whether the care has actually been provided.

The municipality will do its best to help you. If you are not satisfied, we will be happy to discuss the matter with you.

Do you have a complaint about how you have been treated by the municipality or about how the municipality has applied the rules? If so, you can submit a complaint in accordance with the Zoetermeer municipality's complaints procedure. More information and details on how to submit a complaint can be found on the Objections and complaints page.

You can also get help from JeugdStem. This is an organization that supports children, young people, parents, and foster parents with questions or complaints about youth care.

Youth Care Provider

Are you dissatisfied with the assistance provided by your youth care provider? If so, you should first contact your care provider. If you are unable to resolve the issue with your care provider, you can contact the municipality.

When may the municipality deviate from the rules in this regulation?

In special situations, the municipality may make an exception to the rules if this is in the best interests of the child or the parents.

How do we check whether the rules in this regulation are working properly?

Every four years, the municipality reviews how well the rules for youth assistance are working and what the results are. Two years after these rules come into effect, the municipality conducts an evaluation and sends it to the municipal council.

When do the rules in this regulation take effect?

The name of the regulation is Zoetermeer Youth Assistance Regulation 2025. The new regulation will come into effect on the day after its official publication in the Municipal Gazette. The old rules for youth assistance from 2015 will no longer be valid when this new regulation comes into effect.

What will happen to the assistance your child receives under the old rules?

The assistance your child currently receives under the old rules (the Zoetermeer Youth Assistance Regulation 2015) will continue until the municipality makes a new decision on this matter. If you have applied for assistance under the old rules but the municipality has not yet made a decision, the municipality will assess your application according to the new rules. If you have lodged an objection to a decision based on the old rules, the municipality will also assess that objection based on the new rules.