More than 1,100 children of victims removed from home allowances | Inland

“This would require additional research, and there is no such request at the moment,” said a spokesperson.

Statistics Netherlands carried out the study on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Security. In the child allowance affair, thousands of parents were wrongly regarded as fraudsters by the tax authorities. This had enormous financial consequences for innocent parents and their families.

The youth care sector organization in the Netherlands says it is shocked by the high number of children of victimized parents who have been placed out of their homes. “The allowance affair with all its consequences once again demonstrates the need for different child and family protection. When problems arise in a family, both children and parents should be helped at an early stage. If we don’t do this, the child will always be the victim in the end,” says board member Arina Kruithof.

Parties shocked

SP leader Lilian Marijnissen calls it “a horrible shame.” Her party colleague Peter Kwint suspects that there are more, because this research has only focused on the past five years. He wants a bigger investigation and compensation.

According to independent MP Pieter Omtzigt, who has been extensively involved in the allowance affair, this research makes it clear that “the government has completely lost an overview of the consequences of its own policy.” He is also indignant that this information only surfaced “after a lot of pulling” and, moreover, was not shared via a letter to parliament but was published by CBS.

THINK leader Farid Azarkan says that “the conjecture” has now become true. “The injustice and the suffering caused are beyond comprehension.” He finds it “indigestible” and “a kick after” that party leaders Mark Rutte (VVD), Sigrid Kaag (D66), Wopke Hoekstra (CDA) and Gert-Jan Segers are now talking about continuing the coalition. Azarkan calls them ultimately responsible for the allowance affair.

Following a joint response from Omtzigt, the CDA, the SP, the ChristenUnie and DENK, the cabinet is called upon to explain and come up with a plan. The signatories also want the cabinet to have a telephone number ready for questions and “write a letter to the parents, the children and the House.” The signatories believe that this is “the least” that the cabinet owes parents and children.

—