Parents in the Netherlands Take the State to Court Over Lack of “Appropriate” Schools
In the Netherlands, an organization representing parents of children who remain outside the education system because no suitable school has been found for them is preparing to take the Dutch state to court, arguing that children’s rights are being violated. Parents argue that every child has the right to access education that meets their individual needs, but that the current system does not sufficiently guarantee this right.
According to figures released last month by the Dutch Ministry of Education, around 16,000 children did not attend school during the 2024–2025 academic year. This represents a 9 percent increase compared to the previous year. In addition, nearly 5,000 children were reportedly enrolled in a school but had been absent for more than four weeks.
Joli Luijckx, director of the parents’ association Oudervereniging Balans, stated that for years some children have been unable to find a place within the existing education system. Luijckx said that children who struggle in the regular school system gradually lose confidence in themselves, in schooling, and even in their own futures. According to Balans, the number of children outside formal education in the Netherlands may reach as high as 70,000. The association is demanding not only promises from the government, but concrete and lasting change.