How does VraagWijzer work?

Personal strength and participation are central to welfare and care in the municipality of West Maas en Waal. Participation means that people function well, feel good about themselves, and are part of a social network. People in your network can also help and support each other. Family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and so on are important to each other. Together, we can achieve better solutions. The government is placing more responsibility on the municipality when it comes to caring for vulnerable residents. The government expects the municipality to do better for less money because the municipality is closer to the residents. The municipality can only carry out this task if you participate.

That does not mean that citizens have to arrange everything themselves. If someone has thoroughly investigated how they can solve their problem themselves with their network and still has an unanswered question, the municipality will look at where it can provide support. In West Maas en Waal, we have VraagWijzer for this purpose. VraagWijzer is the gateway for all residents who have questions about housing, welfare, work, income, and care.

How do I submit my care request?

I have a healthcare need and require support in this regard. How do I go about this?

  • Please contact VraagWijzer at 0487 790 790.
  • You can also send an email to info@vraagwijzerwmw.nl. Please state your question in your email. If necessary, provide additional explanation.
  • A VraagWijzer consultant will make an appointment with you for a meeting at your home. During this meeting, your question will be discussed in more detail and a possible solution will be sought together with you.
  • You will receive a report (personal support plan). Sign the report and add any comments you may have. Then return the report to VraagWijzer.

Does the report state that the municipality must provide a solution? Or have you indicated that you disagree with the solution proposed in the report and believe that the municipality should provide a solution to your problem?

By returning the report, you have immediately submitted an application.

As soon as possible after receiving the report, which includes the request for a municipal solution, VraagWijzer will let you know whether you are eligible for this.

What is a kitchen table discussion?

You have reported to VraagWijzer that you need support because you require assistance. As a result, a VraagWijzer consultant will contact you to make an appointment for a personal meeting at your home. This meeting is called a kitchen table meeting.

The agreements made during the meeting are then recorded in a meeting report. This meeting report is always submitted to you for approval.

Client support

If you would like someone to be present during the meeting to help you think things through, that is of course no problem at all. You can ask someone from your own circle to attend. If you have a legal representative, it is advisable to have this person present during the meeting. If you do not know anyone and would still like to have someone advise you during the meeting, you can request free client support from the municipality. You can indicate this to the consultant who will make the appointment for you.

The topics of conversation

During the meeting, the consultant will work with you to examine and discuss the problems you are experiencing and how a solution or support can be found. During the meeting, you may discover that you can find solutions yourself, without help from the municipality. Perhaps there is a grocery delivery service in your village that can deliver heavy groceries to your home, or you can break through your isolation by participating in, for example, an open dining table or other activity. The consultant will also discuss with you whether help or support is available from your social network, such as family, friends, neighbors, etc. The consultant will work with you to list the possibilities.

It is also possible that more support is needed to help you with your problem. This could take the form of a customized provision from the municipality. In that case, the consultant will discuss with you how this customized provision can be realized. This can vary from offering domestic support to supporting your family with parenting problems or providing shelter and protected housing.

The consultant will therefore discuss many topics with you, such as:

  • What is the problem? What can you no longer do that you could do before?
  • Since when has this been a problem?
  • How do you deal with this now?
  • Why is that not a suitable solution?
  • What would you like to be able to do (again) yourself?
  • Do you receive help or support from family, friends, volunteers, professionals, and if so, from whom?
  • What do you think is needed to solve the problem?
  • What does your daily schedule look like?
  • What do you enjoy doing?

The meeting report

The consultant will draw up and sign a report of the meeting. This report will describe your situation, the problem at hand, and how support can be provided. Agreements will be made about this support. The agreement may involve you providing the support yourself by using your own network or a general facility, or it may involve the municipality providing a customized facility and specifying which one. Depending on your situation, a combination of agreements may be made. This report will be submitted to you for approval.

If you agree with the arrangements, sign the report to indicate your approval. If a customized provision from the municipality is required, this also serves as the application for that provision, for example, support with running your household, or daytime activities, etc. You will then receive a formal decision stating which customized provision you will receive.

If you disagree with the agreements, indicate on the meeting report what you disagree with and how you think support should be provided.

Example: if the consultant determines that you can use a general provision for your social support and you disagree with this because you believe that this can only be done through a customized provision from the municipality, you should state this in the meeting report and also indicate which customized provision you would like from the municipality.

In that case, sign the meeting report with your comments and return it. Either an additional meeting will be held with you, or a written rejection decision will be issued on behalf of the Municipal Executive, which you can appeal. 

Do I have to pay a personal contribution?

Depending on the benefit granted by the municipality, you may be required to pay a personal contribution. The Central Administration Office ( , CAK) determines the amount of this personal contribution based on your income and assets and any other benefits you receive. For this reason, your personal data will be forwarded to the CAK, along with details of the benefit you have been granted.

You will receive a written decision from the CAK. This will explain how your contribution has been calculated and how you should pay it. The personal contribution is always payable for a period of 4 weeks.

Where can I report my complaint?

We would like to hear whether you are satisfied. If you are dissatisfied, it is best to discuss this first with the employee(s) concerned. In most cases, you will be able to resolve the issue together. It may be that you are unable or unwilling to discuss your problem or complaint with the person concerned. In that case, you can contact the team leader at VraagWijzer.

More information can be found on the Sterker website.