Eerste Evaluatie van de Jeugdwet: transformatie in zicht?

The Dutch Child and Youth Act has been in force since 2015, in which responsibilities for youth care were transferred to municipalities. The legislation contains two kinds of aims. Firstly, the aims for safeguarding the quality of youth care, and the safety and legal status of clients. And secondly, aims with the intention of bringing about a transformation in youth care in that made to measure assistance is offered, and that there ismore coherence and space for professionals to operate in. The first evaluation of the legislation entailed an analysis of the status of these aims, including studies into the perspectives of clients, municipalities and the care system. Aim In this article we report on the most significant findings. The general conclusion is that with regard to a number of important aspects, the execution of the legislation is not (yet) moving in the direction of the aims in mind when it was created. For example, it is not always easy for clients to gain access to assistance, and there is (still) no visible reduction in specialist youth care. Furthermore, the intended cooperation between youth care providers themselves, and with the wider social domain, has yet to be reached. We have made some recommendations, which will hopefully improve accessibility to the right care. (aut. ref.