Foster Family Placement in Leiden

Foster Family Placement in Leiden

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

What does foster family placement in Leiden entail?

In foster family placement in Leiden, a child is removed from their own family and placed temporarily or for a longer period with a foster family. Forms include crisis fostering (short and urgent), short-term fostering (months) or long-term fostering (years, sometimes until adulthood). The goal: to provide a safe, stable home situation, with a prospect of return to parents or another solution.

In the Leiden region, hundreds of foster families are affiliated with certified institutions. Placement always requires a judicial procedure, via the Child Protection Board or the juvenile court judge at the District Court of The Hague, Location Leiden.

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 art. 1.1: Foster parent care as care by non-related foster parents in a family setting.
• Youth Act art. 2.1-2.2: Supervision order (OTS) and out-of-home placement as basis for foster placement.
• Youth Act art. 3.1 et seq.: Rules for foster care, matching and support.
• Civil Code Book 1 art. 1:261 et seq.: Rights of foster parents and parents in long-term placements.

In crisis situations, an emergency measure applies (Youth Act art. 4.1) for max. 2 weeks, extendable by the juvenile court judge in Leiden.

Procedure for foster family placement in Leiden

Steps in Leiden:

1. Report and investigation: Via Safe at Home Leiden or school to the municipality. A youth care worker assesses the situation.
2. OTS application: Certified institution (GI) submits request to District Court of The Hague, Location Leiden.
3. Hearing: Parents, child (from 12 years) and involved parties are heard.
4. Judicial decision: In case of risk of serious danger, out-of-home placement follows, often in a foster family.
5. Matching: Matching to a suitable foster family based on profile.
6. Supervision: Local foster care supervisor supports family and parents.

Periodic evaluation focuses on return home.

Rights and obligations

Parents in Leiden have the right to:

• Information about the child and placement.
• Contact arrangement, unless harmful.
• Legal assistance via Legal Counter Leiden (Stationsweg 46) and appeal (within 3 months).

Parents' obligations: Cooperate with help and bear costs.

Foster parents: Reimbursement (€20-€30/day), duty to act as trusted persons and evaluations.

Child: Right to be heard from 12 years, with child representative.

Examples of foster family placement in Leiden

Example 1: 10-year-old girl from Leiden domestic violence; crisis fostering, then long-term. Return after therapy.

Example 2: Teenager with behavioral problems in specialized foster family; extended until 18 years.

Example 3: Infant with parental addiction directly in respite fostering with contact.

Differences foster family vs. other placements

For advice: Contact District Court of The Hague, Location Leiden or Legal Counter Leiden, Stationsweg 46.