d66 wil kinderen automatisch horen bij melding van onveiligheid
Den Haag, maandag, 8 juni 2026.
duizenden kinderen groeien elk jaar op in onveilige thuissituaties. d66 introduceert een nieuwe wet om dat te stoppen. de ‘kind-eerst-wet’ zorgt dat elk kind dat zegt zich niet veilig te voelen, direct en zonder toestemming van ouders wordt gehoord. dit moet voorkomen dat gevallen zoals in stadskanaal en vlardingenn opnieuw gebeuren. nu blokkeren soms dezelfde ouders het gesprek. een slachtoffer vertelt dat ze pas na vijf jaar werd geholpen. de wet eist een gespecialiseerd gesprek binnen 72 uur. veilig thuis moet dan direct handelen. het plan heeft breed draagvlak in de kamer.
d66 introduces the kind-eerst-wet proposal
Democrats 66 (D66) has introduced a new legislative initiative called the ‘kind-eerst-wet’. This bill aims to guarantee that every child who reports feeling unsafe at home can be immediately heard by trained professionals without prior parental consent [1]. The proposal was formally submitted by Members of Parliament Marijke Synhaeve and Hanneke van der Werf [1]. Its central objective is to establish a national standard allowing swift intervention in suspected cases of child abuse across all municipalities [1].
aimed at preventing tragedies like stadskanaal and vlissingen
The proposed legislation directly responds to severe child abuse cases such as those uncovered in Stadskanaal and Vlaardingen [1][3]. According to D66, children in these instances raised alarms but were not adequately protected by existing systems [3]. The party argues that timely independent interviews could have made a critical difference [3]. Synhaeve specifically criticized delayed responses, referencing actions taken only after delays of up to eighteen months in Stadskanaal [3]. The goal is to prevent similar systemic failures in the future [3].
current system allows parental veto on investigations
Under current procedures, agencies like Veilig Thuis often require parental permission before interviewing a child about potential abuse [3]. This creates a significant barrier if the parent is potentially involved in the harm [3]. “Then Veilig Thuis must first ask permission from that particular parent, who may also be the perpetrator or possibly the perpetrator. That is of course very strange,” stated Marijke Synhaeve (D66) [3]. Parents can also attend these conversations, which D66 believes inhibits children from speaking freely [3].
victim testimony highlights system failure
One survivor recounted being physically abused starting at age six, yet help services did not intervene effectively [1]. Despite reporting her suffering, she said authorities failed to believe her due to misleading home visits orchestrated by her mother [1]. She was only removed from the harmful environment five years later based on advice from Youth Care [1]. Her experience exemplifies how current protocols can fail vulnerable minors, reinforcing calls for immediate reform through the kind-eerst-wet [1].
proposal includes time-bound specialist interviews
The kind-eerst-wet mandates that children expressing fear at home receive a dedicated interview with a specialized professional within 72 hours [3]. This conversation would occur independently of any existing support workers assigned to the family [1]. “Even if there are already helpers involved in the child’s life, the child must still get to tell their story first and solely to specialized investigators,” according to the proposal [1]. Such experts would coordinate further assessment involving youth protection, social services, and police where necessary [3].
support and skepticism from stakeholders
Mariëlle Dekker, director of the Augeo Foundation, supports the move toward an enforceable right prioritizing the child’s voice [1]. She noted that all young people advising her foundation indicated earlier specialized contact would have helped them [1]. While acknowledging the importance of inter-agency cooperation, Dekker argued past efforts focused too narrowly on improving collaboration rather than securing fundamental rights for children [1]. Veilig Thuis generally backs the principle but urges careful implementation [1].
scale of hidden abuse underscores urgency
An estimated 100,000 children grow up annually in unsafe home environments in the Netherlands [1][3]. This figure comes from the Augeo Foundation’s assessments and reflects the widespread nature of domestic risks facing minors [1]. Many cases remain undetected until serious harm occurs, highlighting weaknesses in preventive mechanisms [3]. The kind-eerst-wet seeks to shift the paradigm by making the child’s initial account the primary trigger for investigation, regardless of parental opposition [1].