In youth care, people with false diplomas work: ‘Sometimes clients were grabbed by their throat for a long time’

A false care diploma, false duo outlets and false certificates. The 32-year-old AR from Arnhem, founder of the Ann-Zorg Mediation Office, had temporary workers worked with false papers in healthcare. He committed that fraud within a year and a half, between February 2019 and July 2020. Eventually R. was caught when he delivered incomplete and forged documents to an institution for youth and disabled care.

Several temporary workers stated afterwards that during job interviews with Ann-Zorg « not to diplomas or other papers was asked ». R. became in February condemned Up to six and a half months in prison.

Criminals would an estimated 10 billion euros in care money annually with false diplomas, certificates and declarations

Signals from diploma and certificate fraud regularly received care supervisors. That is in one Research published last year of the Health Care and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ) and the Education Inspectorate (IVHO). Especially with the functions of youth care provider, social worker and supervisor in mental health care or home care is fraud.

The House of Representatives is concerned about the abuse, turned out to be in a parliamentary debate last week. On Tuesday she votes on measures to tackle the fraud harder.

Cyber ​​crime

Diploma fraud in healthcare is difficult to detect. According to a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service, only a fraud is prosecuted « a few times a year ». Often countless transactions have to be investigated and associated laws and regulations are complex.

This form of fraud is also lucrative. The IGJ suspected last year that hundreds of forged EVCs (experience certificates) or VOGs (statements regarding behavior) are in circulation for which between 1,000 and 6,000 euros is paid. An official registration could even be arranged at the Education Executive Agency.

Criminals would an estimated 10 billion euros in care money annually with false diplomas, certificates and declarations. Some of the care providers consciously or unconsciously accepted forged diplomas and VOGs from self-employed people who broadcast them themselves, such as 32-year-old R. from Arnhem. The inspection has received signals that « some agencies and self -employed people » are associated with criminal activities, such as scams, cyber crime and drug trafficking.

A recent sample of the professional register for youth professionals showed that more than 50 of the 274 employees had an invalid professional competence certificate. They were invalid EVCs. These are mandatory for side entrants in complex youth care, which, for example, provide assistance in the case of domestic violence or out-of-home placement. The more than fifty fraudsters were deleted from the professional register and a declaration is considered.

Physical interventions

Jeugdzorg Nederland knows thanks to the IGJ/IVHO investigation of fraud with the EVCs, but has not received any official reports of abuses from professional practice. « Terrible, » a spokesperson nevertheless calls fraud. « It is essential that youth care staff provide good care and are reliable. »

The spokesperson thinks it is right that the professional register for youth professionals last November – after the IGJ and IVHO investigation – temporarily stopped registrations based on EVCs. « On the other hand, that was frustrating for the large group that did want their mandatory registration with the certificate in good faith. » According to the spokesperson, the registration stop was also annoying for the industry, which is already struggling with staff shortages.

A sample of the register for youth professionals showed that more than 50 of the 274 employees did not have the right papers

In addition, incidents argue whether the screening for professional registration should not be improved. For example, a former youth care employee (30), who wishes to stay anonymous, no longer wanted to work in a closed youth care department because of her colleagues. « There was unnecessary physical intervention unnecessarily. Sometimes people were grabbed by their throat, while that is not an appropriate defense strategy at all. » According to this former employee, there was also regularly « abuse of power, » in which young people were put too easily in an isolation cell. She blames that on ‘a lack of good conversation techniques’. She reported this to a manager, but was not heard. « Discussions arose with colleagues. » She stopped reporting and left later because of ‘the unrest’.

Herman Geerdink, director of the professional register for youth professionals, emphasized earlier that « everyone should be able to count on the professionals in the register. » Since March, the register has been dealing with applications again on the basis of an EVC. With a new working method, they now screen in advance who is eligible for an EVC.

Motions

Minister Fleur Agema (Public Health, PVV) was ‘happy’ in the parliamentary debate last week with the initiatives of the professional register. She trusts that it is better to fight fraud.

But the investigation by the IGJ and IVHO already showed that there is a ‘supervisory vacuum’ in which no committed body has ‘sufficient possibilities to act against rogue mediation agencies’.

The criticism is therefore growing in the Lower House. Judith Tielen (VVD) finds Agema’s solution insufficient and submitted several motions last week. Among other things, Tielen wants municipalities to check healthcare professionals more often on the basis of the BIBOB Act, with which they can screen healthcare providers more thoroughly before purchasing care.

In addition, Tielen, together with CDA and NSC, argues for a blacklist at the Chamber of Commerce. He must prevent care fraudsters from registering again. The room votes over the motions this Tuesday.

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