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The government agenda
The core element of this Regional Plan to Tackle <strong>Child</strong> Abuse 127 involved a co-ordinated and integrated
provision of proven effective working procedures and methodology for all stages within the care continuum,
namely from prevention to diagnosis and intervention in the event of suspicion or identification
of actual child abuse. The 35 central municipalities were asked to make conclusive arrangements
between local and regional partners with regard to combating child abuse. They were also requested to
actively offer training and educational programmes to professionals. The central municipality formed
the driving force behind the introduction of these measures, partly by means of appointing a regional
co-ordinator. The municipalities formulated a regional plan of action, and links with the province were
sought. The regional plan of action comprised a protocol for all professionals. The Netherlands Youth
Institute (NJI) 128 provided a model protocol for this. The NJI bridged the gap between the Ministry and
the central municipalities and provided (via implementation advisors) support to the regional co-ordinators.
The NJI not only supported the regions, but it also published a variety of progress reports and
impact evaluations. On behalf of the programme ministry for Youth and Families, the institute also
attended to the co-ordination of the plan of action <strong>Child</strong>ren safe at home.
The State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport recently presented the final report ‘Regional Plan to
Tackle <strong>Child</strong> Abuse’ by the NJI, and the final report ‘Impact Evaluation of the Regional Plan to Tackle
<strong>Child</strong> Abuse’, by the Berenschot and Verwey-Jonker Institute, to the House of Representatives. 129 A great
deal has been achieved; municipalities and institutions have started to make progress. Within the regions,
an ever-increasing group of involved parties have formulated co-operative agreements and have
laid these down in regional action protocols and agreements. 130 The report also states that up until that
point, the emphasis had been placed on organisational aspects as opposed to actual practice .131 The NJI
indicates that many regions have cited, as outcome, an improved integrated procedure to combat child
abuse through cooperation among the Youth and Family Centres, the local care network, and the use of
measures to tackle domestic violence. The State Secretary also reports that embedding the Regional Plan
to Tackle <strong>Child</strong> Abuse within the current developments and existing structures in the regions is a permanent
point of attention. At this point, it is important to seek alignment with the development of Youth
and Family Centres and plans to tackle domestic violence. 132 No attention is devoted to online sexual
violence against children in the policy documents regarding the Regional Plan to Tackle <strong>Child</strong> Abuse.
2.6 Education, Culture and Science
In general, education can fulfil a role in combating sexual violence against children. This could consist of
projects that inform children of the dangers posed by the Internet. The Minister for Education, Culture
and Science made 350,000 euros available as a one-off financial incentive to enhance the campaign
127 The action programme ‘Kinderen veilig thuis’[<strong>Child</strong>ren safe at home] (therefore) acted as a stimulus for
the Regional Plan to Tackle <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>.
128 The programme Ministry had assigned the Netherlands Youth Institute the role of supporting the regions
in the implementation of the RAAK-approach.
129 Parliamentary Papers II 2010/11, 31 015, no.65.
130 Attempts were also made to ensure that this relates to developments with regard to the impending
reporting code for domestic violence and child abuse.
131 Berenschot & Verwey-Jonkey Institute, 2011.
132 Parliamentary Papers II 2010/11, 31 015, no.65.
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