More and more children placed under guardianship

On 31 December 1999 20,400 under age children in the Netherlands had been placed with a family guardian. This is 70% more than at the end of 1990. One third of these children were aged between 10 and 14 years, and there were slightly more boys than girls.

Children placed under guardianship

Magistrates of juvenile courts may place a child under guardianship if the parents cannot themselves cope with the care an upbringing of their children. This may be ordered against the will of the parents or the child: in such cases an official guardianship board appoints a family guardian for the child or children concerned.

Protection and assistance for the child

This system is mainly intended to help and protect the child. In addition, parents are supervised an offered guidance so that they are eventually in a position to care for and bring up their child themselves. It is the task of the family guardian to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing. The parents retain custody of their child, but this is restricted.
This system is mainly intended to help and protect the child. In addition, parents are supervised an offered guidance so that they are eventually in a position to care for and bring up their child themselves. It is the task of the family guardian to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing. The parents retain custody of their child, but this is restricted.

The arrangement ends when there is no longer a reason for a child to be placed under guardianship. The parents are again given the responsibility for bring up the child. The arrangement also stops when the child comes of age.

Cheng Wang