Small-Scale Youth Care Gives Children a Greater Sense of Home

Children who are temporarily unable to live at home feel safer and more seen in small-scale residential facilities than in traditional institutions. This emerges from research by PhD student Ymke Riemersma, who will defend her dissertation at the University of Groningen on September 4. The study was conducted with support from the foundation Het Vergeten Kind (The Forgotten Child).

The research followed 41 children aged 8 to 20 over a period of one and a half years, supplemented with interviews with parents and care professionals. The results show that children in small-scale facilities and family homes develop stronger bonds with caregivers, more often experience a sense of home, and are able to stay longer. This provides stability and developmental opportunities.

According to Riemersma, the success lies not only in the smaller number of children but particularly in the quality of the living environment: proximity, stability, and personal attention. Parental involvement, as well as maintaining school, friendships, and leisure activities, also play a crucial role.

The findings align with the national Youth Reform Agenda (2023–2028), which advocates for more personal, small-scale residential options. Yet the transition is challenging, due in part to temporary funding and fragmented responsibilities. Riemersma’s research underscores that such facilities are essential for the future prospects and well-being of vulnerable children.