Youth Services

How does it work?

The municipality can provide you or your child with general assistance. You can receive this general assistance immediately. The municipality can also provide you or your child with specific assistance. To receive specific assistance, you must submit an application using the form provided by the municipality.

The municipality offers the following types of youth services: 

Personal care

For children under 18 who are unable to care for themselves or are unable to do so adequately. For example, when:

• washing, brushing teeth, and shaving
• getting dressed and undressed or putting on prosthetics
• eating, drinking, or taking medication
• using the restroom (setting up a urinal, changing incontinence supplies)
• changing your lying or sitting position

Someone else will do this for them. Whenever possible, your child will learn to do this on their own.

Guidance

For children up to age 18 who are unable to cope with their disability or condition, or who have difficulty doing so. The goal is for your child to become as independent as possible through individual or group support. The support may also focus on other family members or on the daily commute to the day program. Support is often part of a youth services package.

Stay in a facility

For children up to age 18 with a disability, condition, or disorder. The municipality arranges temporary assistance and care in a facility. The facility is a supervised living environment where support is always available. 

Requirements or residential care

Your child may be eligible for support or placement in a facility if:

• problems with growing up or raising children
• a (mild) intellectual disability
• a sensory impairment (such as deafness or blindness)
• a physical disability
• a somatic condition (such as a chronic illness)
• a mental illness or disorder

Foster care: voluntary or court-ordered

For children up to age 18 who can no longer live at home. The municipality will arrange for foster parents with whom your child will live. This may be only on weekends, during school breaks, or during the day. The foster parents will then care for your child and raise your son or daughter. Your child will stay with the foster parents for as long as necessary. 

• In the case of voluntary foster care, you will discuss with your child and social workers whether your child will live with foster parents.
• If the court decides that foster care is necessary, your consent is not always required. The court will determine how long your child will stay with the foster parents.

What should I do?

• If you have a child for whom you need assistance, please contact your local municipality.
• You provide the municipality with all the information needed to determine what kind of assistance your child needs.
• You will meet with the local government and experts to discuss your child’s situation. During this meeting, you will explain what kind of help you need.
• A few days after the interview, you will receive a report from the municipality. It will indicate whether you are eligible for assistance and, if so, what kind.
• If you are eligible for specific assistance, you should submit an application. The municipality will provide you with the necessary form. The municipality will decide whether you qualify for the specific assistance.
• During the application process, the municipality will let you know whether you are eligible for a personal budget (pgb). With this personal budget, you can arrange the specific youth support services yourself.

How long does it take?

• You can usually get general assistance right away.
• If you have submitted a request for specific assistance, we will let you know as soon as possible whether your request has been approved. There are currently waiting periods, so you will have to wait longer than usual.

Additional information

Youth services through your health insurance provider

In the following cases, you should arrange youth assistance through your health insurance provider rather than through the municipality:

• If your child’s personal care involves medical care or a high risk of requiring it, the pediatric nurse can help you get started.  This includes personal care for your child related to:
  • medical care
  • learning to cope with a medical condition or disability
  • preventing a condition or disability from getting worse
  • preventing a condition or disability that your child is at high risk of developing
• If your child requires lifelong intensive care in a facility.