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Eerder onderzoek laat zien dat het ‘sociaal klimaat’ (SK) belangrijk is voor het dagelijks leven van jeugdigen die verblijven in instellingen voor residentiële zorg en behandeling (RZB). Niettemin is er weinig bekend over de wijze waarop sociaal klimaat in een heterogene RZB-populatie kan bijdragen aan een als positief ervaren ‘kwaliteit van leven’ (KvL). In dit onderzoek is daarom onderzocht hoe kenmerken van RZB-instellingen en van opgenomen jeugdigen samenhangen met SK en KvL. Wij hanteerden een personen- en variabelen-gecentreerde benadering in een cross-sectioneel design met een steekproef van 400 adolescenten (12-23 jaar) in Noorse instellingen voor jeugdzorg. Voor twee typen RZB-instellingen en vier subgroepen jeugdigen werden met behulp van Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) verbanden onderzocht met de (latente) variabelen SK en KvL. Zowel directe als indirecte effecten werden bestudeerd. In alle subgroepen van jeugdigen waren er verbanden met beide variabelen: jeugdigen met gezinsproblemen, jeugdigen in een crisissituatie, en jeugdigen met een migratieachtergrond scoorden alle drie hoger op SK en KvL in vergelijking tot de vierde subgroep, jeugdigen met ernstige problemen. Voorts bleek dat SK het verband bij twee subgroepen – de ‘crisisgroep’ en de ‘migrantengroep’ – met KvL medieerde. Voor instellingsmedewerkers is het van belang te weten dat een positief sociaal klimaat voor jeugdigen met ernstige problemen kan helpen hun kwaliteit van leven te verbeteren. In toekomstig longitudinaal onderzoek zou nagegaan moeten worden welke verbanden te vinden zijn met de kwaliteit van leven die voormalige RZB-cliënten ervaren op de langere termijn.

This chapter describes residential care in the Netherlands, a country ranking highest on children’s mental well-being, physical health, and academic and social skills. Residential care represents approximately 50% of all children in out-of-home care. Recent developments include the development of small-scale residential settings, including family-oriented residential care and shared family care. A strong emphasis on residential care research in several leading universities and a longstanding commitment to social pedagogy are assets to the residential care sector. The chapter concludes with the matrix used throughout the book, including the current policy context, key trends and initiatives, characteristics of children and youth served, preparation of residential care personnel, promising programmatic innovations, and present strengths and challenges.

Pedagogisch medewerkers spelen een belangrijke rol in de te behalen resultaten in de residentiële jeugdhulp. Desondanks zijn er weinig programma’s die hen ondersteunen in hun professionele vaardigheden. Om hen te ondersteunen in het verder ontwikkelen van vaardigheden omtrent het opbouwen van goede samenwerkingsrelaties met jongeren en het versterken van de intrinsieke motivatie voor gedragsverandering bij jongeren hebben wij het trainingsprogramma Up2U ontwikkeld. Hoewel het gebruik van Up2U in de praktijk best nog een uitdaging is, zijn de eerste resultaten positief. Pedagogische medewerkers die Up2U in de praktijk hebben uitgeprobeerd, geven aan dat het om een duidelijk trainingsprogramma gaat en dat het een prima hulpmiddel oplevert voor het voeren van goede één-op-één gesprekken met jongeren. Ook uit de observaties van deze gesprekken komt naar voren dat het met behulp van Up2U voor pedagogisch medewerkers mogelijk is om een gesprek te voeren dat meer dan gebruikelijk op de individuele jongere gericht is.

The authors regret that, the affiliation error; ‘Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust’ should be ‘Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust’ and updated as above. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Objectives: Residential Youth Care (RYC) is still considered a “black box”. Research continues to focus on the results that are achieved, but more insight is necessary to show how these results are achieved for different groups of residents. We refer to this principle as the “what works for whom” principle. By examining more closely the process of change in the RYC treatment process, we could be able to more accurately identify factors associated with facilitation or obstruction of a positive outcome. One of the most basic elements necessary for treatment success is the interpersonal environment (in this study termed social climate) that adolescents and staff in RYC are a continuous part of. Up until now, no review studies summarizing the knowledge about the effects of social climate have been available. Such a review could improve our understanding, which in turn could improve the processes and outcomes of RYC institutions and their treatment programs. In this paper, we aim to systematically review the current literature on associations between determinants and outcomes of social climate in RYC. Our goal is to answer the following questions: (1) Which determinants are related to a positive and a negative social climate? (2) How are aspects of social climate associated with positive and negative outcomes of RYC? Method: We carried out a systematic review search and included peer-reviewed studies from 1990 until 2016. The studies had to include a measure of social climate and focus on youths between the ages of 12 to 23 in RYC institutions. We searched ten databases with a selection of keywords to adhere to the person, institution type, social climate, determinants, and outcomes (PICO) model. Exclusion criteria were studies that focused on foster care, school settings, medical care, outpatient care, or a combination of outpatient care and RYC. We analyzed data in Distiller Systematic Review according to predefined decision forms. Results and conclusions: Results indicate that social climate differs between institution type, and that different trajectories can be established between determinants, social climate and treatment outcomes. The findings from this study highlight the importance of shaping environments that match the heterogeneous groups of adolescents living in RYC. More empirical research is needed to identify how RYC institutions can be less a “black box” by identifying how the social climate in the institutions affects treatment outcomes for the adolescents.

Pen picture accounts of four young people in the Netherlands’ care system help to focus attention on the needs of young people and their families. This also highlights issues facing the Dutch care system and how it is organised and funded. In one of the world’s most densely populated countries, the child protection and welfare system in the Netherlands focuses on family preservation and community-based interventions. However, the number of young people in out-of-home care facilities has increased over the past decade and a half. The New Act on Care for Children and Young People which came into effect in 2015 has made far-reaching changes to Dutch child and youth care policy, and administrative and financial practices that are now re-located to municipalities.

In many developed countries around the world residential care interventions for children and adolescents have come under increasing scrutiny. Against this background an international summit was organised in England (spring 2016) with experts from 13 countries to reflect on therapeutic residential care (TRC). The following working definition of TRC was leading: "Therapeutic residential care involves the planful use of a purposefully constructed, multi-dimensional living environment designed to enhance or provide treatment, education, socialization, support, and protection to children and youth with identified mental health or behavioural needs in partnership with their families and in collaboration with a full spectrum of community based formal and informal helping resources". The meeting was characterised by exchange of information and evidence, and by preparing an international research agenda. In addition, the outlines of a consensus statement on TRC were discussed. This statement, originally published in English and now reproduced in a Hebrew translation, comprises inter alia five basic principles of care that according to the Work Group on Therapeutic Residential Care should be guiding for residential youth care provided at any time.

While there is a large difference in the number of young inhabitants in the Netherlands and Germany, their child protection frameworks are quite similar. In both countries, child protection services are mainly focused on youth aged 0 to 18 and regulations are aimed at clients’ responsibility and their active involvement during care. Youth care services consist of community-based services, day treatment and out-of-home care services, which include foster care and residential care. The history of out-of-home care services in both countries is characterized by similar developments. Over the last four decades, similar trends in residential care, towards more small-scale forms of residential care, smaller residential group sizes, and increasing professionalization of staff have emerged. Over the last two decades, a comparable trend towards increasing professionalization can be seen in the context of foster care in both countries. In addition, the number of youths in out-of-home care increased in both countries over the last decade, specifically in foster care. Over the last decade, more studies have been conducted in residential care than in foster care in both countries. Despite similar trends and developments in out-of-home care practice, research mainly shows differences in applied topics and methods between Germany and the Netherlands.

While there is a large difference in the number of young inhabitants in the Netherlands and Germany, their child protection frameworks are quite similar. In both countries, child protection services are mainly focused on youth aged 0 to 18 and regulations are aimed at clients' responsibility and their active involvement during care. Youth care services consist of community-based services, day treatment and outof-home care services, which include foster care and residential care. The history of out-of-home care services in both countries is characterized by similar developments. Over the last four decades, similar trends in residential care, towards more small-scale forms of residential care, smaller residential group sizes, and increasing professionalization of staff have emerged. Over the last two decades, a comparable trend towards increasing professionalization can be seen in the context of foster care in both countries. In addition, the number of youths in out-of-home care increased in both countries over the last decade, specifically in foster care. Over the last decade, more studies have been conducted in residential care than in foster care in both countries. Despite similar trends and developments in out-of-home care practice, research mainly shows differences in applied topics and methods between Germany and the Netherlands. A pesar de la gran diferencia en el número de habitantes jóvenes entre Holanda y Alemania, sus estructuras de protección de la infancia son muy semejantes. Los servicios de protección de la infancia en ambos países se centran fundamentalmente en los jóvenes entre 0 y 18 años y la reglamentación va dirigida a la responsabilidad de los clientes y su compromiso activo durante el acogimiento. Los servicios de protección a los jóvenes constan de servicios comunitarios, el tratamiento de día y los servicios de proteccion con separación familiar, que abarcan el acogimiento familiar y residencial. La historia de los servicios que implican separación familiar en ambos países se caracteriza por desarrollos semejantes. En los últimos cuatro decenios han surgido tendencias semejantes en el acogimiento residencial más encaminadas a modos de acogimiento a pequeña escala, menor tamaño de los grupos residenciales y una mayor profesionalización del personal. En los dos últimos decenios puede apreciarse una tendencia comparable hacia una mayor profesionalización en el contexto del acogimiento en ambos países. En el último decenio se han llevado a cabo más estudios sobre acogimiento residencial que sobre acogimiento familiar en ambos países. A pesar de las tendencias y desarrollos semejantes en la práctica de las medidas de protección con separación familiar, la investigación muestra principalmente diferencias entre Alemania y Holanda principalmente en los temas y métodos aplicados.

The client-therapist relationship is recognized as an important factor contributing to outcomes of child and youth care. Particularly in secure residential youth care, in which adolescents with mainly externalizing behaviour problems are often placed coercively, the client-staff relationship seems to be important for the achievement of positive outcomes. The present study aims to assess the client-staff relationship for a group of 135 adolescents in secure residential care and factors associated with a positive relationship. The results show that adolescents, group care workers and teachers experience a limited affective bond in their relationship 2 months after the adolescents were admitted to the secure care centre. Adolescents do tend to use care workers and teachers as a secure attachment figure, which suggests that an affective bond is no precondition for the adolescents to experience staff as a secure base. Main predictors of a good relationship are the positive treatment skills of both group care workers and teachers. These findings point to the need for training of care workers and teachers so that they are better prepared for working with these adolescents.

Young people who have been in care show relatively poor outcomes in comparison to young people who have not been in care, and run a high risk of social exclusion. Therefore, the transition to adulthood of young people leaving care is an important topic for research. However, there is still little knowledge about the different research approaches and research instruments that are being used in studying this topic. The aim of the present study is to review the approaches and instruments that are used in empirical studies that focus on young care leavers' transitions to adulthood. The results show that the studies apply a diversity of topics and instruments, but that there is also considerable overlap. To make better comparisons on the transition from out-of-home care to adulthood between different countries, a common research framework and one or more research instruments should be developed that can assess this transition and the situation of young care leavers in diverse social contexts. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.