Wassenaar Council pays working visit to Jeugdformaat
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the Municipal Executive of Wassenaar paid a working visit to healthcare provider Jeugdformaat in The Hague. During this visit, the Municipal Executive gained a better understanding of the youth care available to children who are temporarily unable to live at home. Children from Wassenaar also sometimes make use of these forms of Health
Important theme for the municipality
Youth care is an important issue for the municipality of Wassenaar. The working visit helped the council to better understand what is happening in practice. This is necessary in order to organize youth care effectively, both now and in the future.
Alderman Affairs, Ritske Bloemendaal, emphasizes the importance of the working visit: "This working visit gave the council a good insight into how vulnerable children are sometimes forced to spend the night. Children from Wassenaar are also sometimes dependent on this. This visit allowed the council to learn more about the valuable work that Jeugdformaat does to provide a safe place for children who need immediate help. In addition, they work to return children to their home situation whenever possible."
Visit to small-scale crisis group
The council visited a small-scale crisis group run by Jeugdformaat, which has been open since April 1, 2025. Here, they explained how the crisis group works and how Jeugdformaat Health keep children in this difficult Health for as short a time as possible. With this form of small-scale residential care, Jeugdformaat offers young people in acute crisis situations a safe place to stay temporarily. Intensive counseling is provided for the young person and their network, and efforts are made to facilitate their return home.
Other forms of accommodation were also discussed, such as foster care, family homes, guest houses, and small-scale residential groups. In addition, alternatives to JeugdzorgPlus (Youth Care Plus) were discussed. After the explanation of the various forms of youth care, there was a tour of the Jeugdformaat building.
Mariska van Esveld, Director Health Jeugdformaat: "During the working visit, we explained how our various forms of accommodation, from crisis shelters to family homes, contribute to appropriate Health, based on the principle of scaling down where possible and ensuring a safe return home."
