New plan for youth aid South Limburg
Municipalities must provide good and sufficient youth aid. To do so, they have to describe in a plan how they do that and what they want to achieve with it. The South Limburg municipalities do that together. A new policy framework has been made for the period 2024-2028. This has not yet been approved. First, residents in South Limburg will have the opportunity to respond to it.
What are the Limburg municipalities planning?
Sometimes children, young people and parents need help in connection with growing up and parenting problems, psychological problems and disorders. When they cannot solve this themselves or with the help of family, acquaintances or social work, for example, youth aid is available.
The common goal is for all children and youth in our region to grow up healthy, safe and promising. Health and support is tailored as much as possible to the child and parent(s) and is provided as close as possible in the familiar environment, in line with the child's needs. We listen to what they need to grow up into an adult who is self-reliant and can participate in society.
What goals do municipalities have?
- Normalize
Normalizing means talking about what is normal in a child's development and in parenting and growing up. We will work to ensure that as many children and parents as possible can handle parenting and growing-up problems that are normal. With this we want to prevent unnecessary youth care. - Getting the right help sooner
We deploy help as light and short-term as possible, but as intensive as necessary. The help is appropriate and we do what is needed immediately. Help is "as much at home as possible" and present at the place where it is needed, for example at school or at child care. - Looking and working broadly
Together we look at what a child and parents need. This is not only about youth aid. To become independent, young people need a solid foundation in the five life domains. These life domains are support, housing, school and work, income and welfare. - Participating and thinking along
It is the intention that clients can (start to) continuously discuss and think about the goals, content and implementation of youth care. We are not that far yet, but this is what we want to achieve. - Collaboration
Municipalities cannot do it alone. Cooperation is needed with the environment of the children, young people and parents. These include the schools, the GGD, mental health care (ggz) and welfare organizations such as Impuls.
What do you think?
Above is a brief summary of the South Limburg Youth Assistance Policy Framework. We invite you to read the full plan and let us know what you think. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know. You can do so until August 28, 2023 by e-mail: Gemeentehuis@kerkrade.nl or by mail: Postbus 600, 6460 AP Kerkrade.
The reactions received from the South Limburg municipalities will be collected. Based on these, the policy framework will be adjusted if necessary. After that, all municipalities will decide on it.