Foster Family Placement Amsterdam

Foster Family Placement in Amsterdam

Foster family placement provides temporary or long-term care for children and young people who cannot safely grow up at home in Amsterdam. The child is placed with certified foster parents, often as part of an out-of-home placement. This protects the child's development and safety, while maintaining the bond with parents as much as possible. In Amsterdam, the municipality coordinates this through local foster care providers.

What does foster family placement in Amsterdam entail?

In Amsterdam, a child is removed from their own family and placed temporarily or long-term with a foster family. This can be crisis fostering (short-term in emergencies), short-term fostering (a few months) or long-term fostering (for years, sometimes until adulthood). The goal is a safe, stable environment, with a focus on return to parents or a suitable solution. Amsterdam has hundreds of foster families, registered with certified institutions such as Pleegzorg Amsterdam or William Schrikker Stichting.

A placement always requires a legal procedure, via the Amsterdam Child Protection Board or the juvenile court judge at the Amsterdam District Court (Parnassusweg 220).

Legal basis for foster family placement

The rules are set out in the Youth Act (2015) and Civil Code Book 1. Relevant articles:

• Youth Act article 1.1: Defines foster parent care as care by non-related persons in a family-like setting.
• Youth Act articles 2.1 and 2.2: Regulates supervision order (OTS) and out-of-home placement.
• Youth Act article 3.1 et seq.: Provisions for foster care, matching and guidance in the Amsterdam region.
• Civil Code Book 1 article 1:261 et seq.: Rights of foster parents and parents in long-term placements.

In crises, an emergency measure (Youth Act art. 4.1) applies for max. 2 weeks, extendable by the juvenile court judge. Longer placements require a court order.

Procedure for foster family placement in Amsterdam

The steps in Amsterdam:

1. Report and investigation: Via Safe at Home Amsterdam or school, report to the municipality. A youth care worker (e.g. via GGD Amsterdam) investigates.
2. OTS request: Certified Institution (CI) such as Amsterdam Youth Care Bureau requests OTS from the court.
3. Hearing and cross-examination: Parents, child (from 12 years), and involved parties are heard.
4. Court order: In case of serious danger, out-of-home placement follows, often in a foster family.
5. Matching: Matching to a foster family based on profile, via Amsterdam foster care networks.
6. Guidance: Foster care supervisor supports and maintains parent contact.

Periodic evaluation focuses on return. For advice: Amsterdam Legal Aid Office (Vijzelstraat 77).

Rights and obligations

Parents have the right to information, contact (unless harmful) and legal aid/appeal (within 3 months).

Obligations: cooperate with help and contribute to costs.

Foster parents: allowance (€20-€30/day), obligation to act as trusted caregiver and participate in evaluations.

Child: right to be heard from 12 years, right to a child representative.

Practical examples Amsterdam

Example 1: 10-year-old girl removed from home due to violence; crisis fostering, then long-term with Amsterdam foster family. Return after therapy.

Example 2: Teenager with drug problem in specialised foster family with intensive guidance; extended until 18 years.

Example 3: Infant with addicted parents directly in respite fostering with contact.

Differences foster family vs. other placements