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A Ministry for Youth and Families
Since 2007, the Netherlands has a Ministry for Youth and Families.
Why a new ministry? After all, the vast majority of young people and families in the Netherlands are doing well. According to international comparative surveys, Dutch children are rated among the happiest in the world. But at the same time, there are some worrying trends: growing reports of child abuse, children with behavioural problems, the unhealthy lifestyle of some youngsters, the number of children who neither attend school nor work, and the increase in antisocial behaviour among the young.
Concerted effort
The above problems must be tackled through a concerted effort: the ministries in The Hague, the municipal and provincial authorities, youth care institutions, schools and other stakeholders will therefore need to work together more closely.
Within the Ministry for Youth and Families, four departments cooperate:
- Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
In February 2007, André Rouvoet was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Youth and Families in the Dutch government.
In June 2007, the Youth and Family programme 
was published.
In May 2008, the leaflet A special ministry for Youth and Families: How does it work? was published.
