Antilles municipalities included in the VIR in the first quarter of 2009

December 22, 2008 8:22 AM

A number of arrangements were made to make the Cross Reference High-risk Youths (VIR) a fully fledged alternative for the cross reference Antillean high-risk youths, the VIA. The Antilles municipalities are going to be included in the VIR in the first quarter of 2009, so that the coordinators of the casus-deliberations can become aware of the high-risk youths’ data, indicated the ministry of Vrom.

Upon the proposition of Minister Eberhard van der Laan for Living, Districts, and Integration (PvdA), the cabinet has decided yesterday to realize the armamentarium necessary for an adequate relief to Antillean high-risk youths in the general cross-reference index for all high-risk youths (VIR). Van der Laan, together with minister Rouvoet for Youth and Family (ChristenUnie) made arrangements with the 21 municipalities where most of the Antillean high-risk youths live. The Antillean-Dutch high-risk youths that are not registered in the Municipal Basic-administration (GBA), will receive a Referral Service number (VSN), with which they are included in the Cross-reference Index, so that they are known even when they move.

Also seven supplemental report-criterions are set for the Antillean high-risk youths, like rent arrears and not being registered in the GBA, but are indeed subject in the casus-deliberation. How and whether social workers are kept informed of the youths older than 23 years will be looked at in the first year. It was agreed that the problem with high-risk youth older than 23 will be examined and will come with suggestions mid-2009. In the first year they will also explore how the problem of younger brothers or sisters can be allowed insight in the index, when the person that is registered becomes older than 23 and falls outside the index.

The cabinet will thoroughly discuss the registration of the country of origin information in the spring of 2009. It’s not only going to be about that, but also about the generation of policy information, said Vrom.
“That requires a fundamental discussion bound with the constitution and international treaties that requires involvement of several members of government and a meticulous consideration.” The importance of the registration of origin can be subscribed to, but the necessity and the way in which the registration ought to be done, must also be adequately examines.

New withdrawal VIA was uncertain
Upon request of the Antilles-municipalities, the Cross-reference Index Antilleans was designed as one of the instruments to tackle the problem of Antillean-Dutch high-risk youths. It was done at a moment that there was no sight yet on a wider cross-reference index for all youths that can be considered as high-risk in the Netherlands, said Van der Laan in a letter to the Lower House. In this letter he indicates that the temporary character of the VIA was considered in the State Council’s judgment on the legality of the withdrawal decision of the College protection of personal data (Cbp). “This means that the VIA doesn’t offer structural solutions to improve the information position of the municipalities regarding Antillean-Dutch high-risk youths. It is not sure whether the Cbp is willing to grant a new withdrawal of the VIA, since there is now within reasonable time, view on a Cross-reference Index High-risk youths.”
The current withdrawal expired on December 11. A new one was requested in October, but it will be canceled.

(Source: National newspaper Amigoe)

20 December, 2008