Info
This page contains the information that the AAOF has gathered over the years about special education, welfare support (PGB) and the healthcare organisation MEE in the Netherlands. Lot of information is available online, so it's advisable to visit the LINKS section.
MEE
MEE is an organisation with specialists who can help answer questions on matters related to education, upbringing, housing, employment, social facilities, income, transport and leisure-time activities for anyone with a handicap, functional disability or chronic illness. This organisation is funded by the Dutch government and its services are available free of charge.
The website is exclusively in Dutch, but MEE provided a brochure with general information in English (PDF document).
Website: www.mee.nl
Address: find the nearest MEE office in your area
PGB (Persoonsgebonden Budget) and Zorg in Natura
A PGB (Personal Budget) enables individuals to buy the care and services that their child needs themselves and decide themselves how, when and by whom, the care is provided.
Care and services can take the form of that given by recognised medical professionals, in which case the money is paid directly to the professionals involved by the Healthcare System (Zorg in Natura), or less formal care such as respite or regular child care, in which case the budget holder directly administers the PGB.
It is extremely important to remember that the system is very complicated and it is highly recommended that help is sought. Not only they can help you get the best from the system – but they can help advise you of changes which are constantly taking place.
You will find below a few websites which will hopefully provide you with some information:
- Frequently Asked Questions over PGB by the Rijksoverheid (Government) website (in Dutch)
Per Saldo
Per Saldo is the Netherlands association of people who organise their care with a PGB (personal budget). Per Saldo publishes booklets, leaflets and other publications on a whole range of matters relating to PGB, organises discussion forums on the Internet, arranges information meetings throughout the country and holds courses on PGB for budget holders and service providers.
www.pgb.nl (in Dutch and English)
SVB - Sociale Verzekeringsbank
The Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) implements national insurance schemes in the Netherlands. The SVB supports people with a PGB budget on behalf of the National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland). Any budget holder can use the SVB's PGB Service Centre free of charge.
www.svb.nl (in English)
www.svb.nl/int/nl/pgb/ (in Dutch)
- Jeugdzorg Nederland
This site provides general information about child and youth welfare in the Netherlands.
www.jeugdzorgnederland.nl (in Dutch)
- MEE
MEE offers information, advice and support for anyone with a disability. MEE can assist you with the paperwork involved in applying with the PGB
www.mee.nl (in Dutch)
- CIZ (Centrum Indicatiestelling Zorg)
This organization helps people to find if they are entitled to get cares under the Wlz - Wet langdurige zorg (Long-term Care Law)
www.ciz.nl (in Dutch)
- Team050
Student organization, based in Groningen, that offers tutoring for children and young people with a PGB at school, at home and in sport associations. Tutors are mostly students attending relevant training, such as psychology or educational sciences.
www.team050.nl (in Dutch)
Inzowijs
Organization that provides counseling/tutoring to children, adolescents and young adults with a psychiatric disorder, a mental and/or physical disability, giving students in Psychology/Pedagogy/Social Services the opportunity to gain practical experience through a study-related part-time job.
www.inzowijs.nl (in Dutch)
- List of PGB-related websites
http://persoonsgebonden-budget.startkabel.nl (in Dutch)
PASSEND ONDERWIJS -
Appropriate Education
In August 2014 a new Appropriate Education Act (Wet Passend Onderwijs) came into effect in The Netherlands.
Schools now have the responsibility to provide a suitable learning place to every child (Zorgplicht).
All schools for mainstream and special education (excluding cluster 1 and 2) are part of regional Samenwerkingsverbanden (partnerships). In total there are 152 Samenwerkingsverbanden: 77 for primary education and 75 in secondary education.
Samenwerkingsverbanden receive the funds for any kind of support and help both parents and schools to find the proper place for the student in the school system. They are really good with mediation and provide information (to both school and parents) about the passend onderwijs system and what needs to be done.
Each school has an Educational Support Profile (Schoolondersteuningsprofiel). If a school is not able to provide the suitable education to a child, the school’s board of governors concerned must offer a place at another school for mainstream (if needed with extra support in the class room) or special needs education within the Regional Alliance.
More information:
- Rijksoverheid (Government of the Netherlands)
Passend Onderwijs (in Dutch)
Appropriate education at primary school (in English)
-
Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (Netherlands Youth Institute)
Children and Youth Support and Care in The Netherlands: the new Dutch youth care system and the reasons why these changes were necessary (in English)
Inclusive Education: a Suitable Learning Place for Every Dutch Child: the Dutch government’s plans regarding inclusive education up to February 2013 (in English)
www.youthpolicy.nl
Ouders & Onderwijs
Information point for parents over education in NL.
www.oudersonderwijs.nl (in Dutch)
KWALITEIT (V)SO - Quality of (Secondary) Special Education
The Quality of (Secondary) Special Education Act (Wet Kwaliteit (V)SO) entered into force on 1 August 2013.
All the special needs schools have to provide an Educational/Development Plan (Ontwikkelingperspectief) for each student:
- a description of the general and educational development of the student
-
its phasing in time/years
-
the educational level of the student at the end of the plan
- which school after
In addition, three Graduate Profiles (Uitstroomprofielen) are defined, which prepare students for progression to:
1) further education - Uitstroomprofiel vervolgonderwijs
2) labor market - Uitstroomprofiel arbeidsmarktgericht
3) daycare activities - Uitstroomprofiel dagbesteding
More information:
- Inspectie van het Onderwijs: Wet- en regelgeving in het speciaal onderwijs (in Dutch)
Laws and regulation in special education, from the Ministery for Education, Culture and Science website.
