Broken clothes, no breakfast and unbrushed teeth. Elementary school teachers too often see neglected children in school, but taking action is not always easy for teachers.
The numbers
RTL Nieuws investigated neglect. 160 schools responded to the survey, reporting a total of 1,100 cases of children not receiving basic necessities from home. There is a neglected student in almost every class. The causes are often poverty, alcohol problems or psychological problems among the parents.
Reporting is difficult
According to the child abuse reporting code, schools must report such cases to Samen Veilig. That is not done too often. Only 5 percent of the reports come from schools, while they see children more often and for longer than, for example, the police, while 30 percent of the cases at Samen Veilig are reported by the police.
Reporting remains difficult
Teachers find it difficult to pass on notifications. This is because it remains a sensitive subject. It is difficult to raise the issue with the parents of the children and reporting it officially is an even bigger step.
Reporting does not always help
Another school says it does report, but many reports do not lead to action:children appear to fall outside the scheme, for example. Youth care understands the complaint, but indicates that much has improved since 1 January.
