In the course of the visit, the delegation assessed the treatment in closed residential youth institutions (“Jeugdzorg Plus”), in the light of the 2024 report “Eenzaam Gesloten” by Jason Bhugwandass and earlier reports on the effective protection of youth placed in these institutions against violence, including the 2019 report “Onvoldoende beschermd, geweld in de Nederlandse jeugdzorg van 1945 tot heden” by the De Winter Committee.
During the visit, the CPT’s delegation held consultations with senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport as well as from Jeugdzorg Nederland, representing the institutions in charge of Jeugdzorg Plus facilities.
The delegation also met Margrite Kalverboer, Children’s Ombudsman, and representatives of the Health and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ), representatives of JeugdStem, as well as persons active in the area of concern to the CPT, including Jason Bhugwandass and Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Child Law at Leiden University and former member of the De Winter Committee.
The visit was carried out by Gunda Wössner (Head of Delegation) and Tom Daems, members of the CPT; Marco Leidekker (Head of Division) of the CPT Secretariat, and by two experts: Ursula Kilkelly, Professor of International Children’s Rights Law (Ireland) and Heidi Hales, Consultant Psychiatrist in Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry Researcher (United Kingdom).
The delegation visited the following institutions:
- Schakenbosch (Leidschendam),
- iHUB, location Oost Gelre (Harreveld), and
- ViaJeugd (Cadier en Keer).
