Details

After earlier Dutch inquiries (Deetman Commission, Samson Commission) found that sexual abuse often is accompanied by other forms of violence, the de Winter Commission was set up to investigate all forms of violence, physical and psychological, in youth care institutions, foster families and juvenile justice institutions.

Following the release of the Interim Report in May 2016, the scope of the inquiry was broadened to include violence against minors in Youth Mental Health Care, in institutes for the deaf and blind, and in the reception of unaccompanied minors in asylum seeker centres.

The Commission's study focused on three main areas:

1. the nature and extent of violence in youth care between 1945 and the present
2. the context in which violence took place and the mechanisms that played a role in this violence, including the options for reporting violence and government awareness of signs of violence and its responses
3. How young people experienced the violence and the consequences for their later lives

The Process
The first phase was a feasibility study, leading to the Interim Report (2016). Following this, for the earlier periods, investigations were based primarily on archival research rather than oral history or surveys. For more recent periods, the researchers were able to rely more on information from former pupils and youth care workers.

A hotline was established to enable the committee to speak directly to victims. A structured question format was used so the answers could be systematically analysed.

Governing Authority
Appointed by the Minister of Security and Justice and the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, on behalf of the Dutch government

Findings
The Commission found that in the period from 1945 to the present, physical, psychological and sexual violence has occurred in youth care, with three out of four respondents reporting they had suffered physical or psychological violence, one in ten often to very often, by an adult or a peer.

This was more common in institutions than in foster care, where conditions were considered very harsh and unsafe for young people. Social views of children placed in care were negative and had long term deleterious effects. The children who experienced violence carried its effects as a burden for the rest of their lives, leading to all sorts of negative consequences for them, on the psychological level and when entering into intimate and social contacts.

Youth care also was chronically underfunded, which affected adversely staff retention and pedagogical continuity. Poor supervision meant that violence was generally not acted upon, and children had no-one to turn to if they became victims of violence. A broader professionalization of youth care only came about in the 1990s, but there is still much to do in this respect.

The supervisory role of the government increased in the 1970s, but in practice remained largely remote, with little reaction to signs of violence.

Recommendations
The committee made the following recommendations:

1. Recognition for victims of violence in youth care
2. Reduction of group sizes
3. Better implementation of the custodial placement in the case of guardianship
4. Better exercise of the role of the family guardian
5. Carrying out a prevalence study into violence in current youth care
6. Avoidance of placement in (closed) institutions as much as possible
7. Improving support for foster parents
8. Improving the offer of help to victims of violence in youth care
9. Discussing violence with children in youth care
10. More collaboration with parents and family
11. Keeping the committee's archives accessible and keeping them updated
12. Organising proactive, stronger and independent supervision
13. Ensuring well-trained staff and pedagogical continuity