# Youth care use falls again, to 392,000 young people

> Statistics Netherlands (CBS) says 392,000 young people received youth care (jeugdzorg) in the first half of 2026, 5% fewer than a year earlier, and the share varies widely between municipalities.

Society · published 2026-10-30 05:50 · https://nlnow.nl/a/number-of-young-people-in-youth-care-falls-again-to-392-000/

In the first half of 2026, 392,000 young people received youth care, 5% fewer than a year earlier, according to provisional figures from CBS. The number rose every year after 2015 except in the coronavirus year 2020. It fell for the first time in 2025, and the decline has continued in 2026.

Almost 9% of all young people under 23 received youth care in the first half of 2026. For youth assistance (jeugdhulp), the share varies from municipality to municipality, from almost 5% to more than 17%. Municipalities have been responsible for youth care since 2015 and organise it in their own ways, so the amount and type of care on offer differ. CBS research shows that income levels, the number of single-parent families, and the use of mental health care (GGZ) or Wmo support in a young person's household can also play a role.

Youth assistance is the largest form: 383,000 young people, against 405,000 a year earlier. Almost 29,000 received youth protection, about 3% fewer. A court imposes youth protection when a child's safety and development are at risk. Youth probation reached 7,400 young people, just over 2% more.

More than 145,000 new youth assistance trajectories started in the first half of 2026. Just over 3% began in a crisis situation, as judged by the care professional. For live-in care, where the young person does not sleep at home, 24% began in crisis, up from 18% a year earlier. Without live-in care the share was 2%, the same as in 2025.

## Background

- **CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek)**: Statistics Netherlands, the independent government body that produces the official statistics on the Dutch economy and society.

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