WILLEMSTAD – Approximately 280 victims of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal are living on Curaçao, making the island home to the second-largest group of affected parents living outside the Netherlands, after Belgium.
The figures are contained in a new progress report submitted by Dutch State Secretary Sandra Palmen-Schlangen to the House of Representatives, outlining the ongoing recovery operation for victims living abroad.
According to the report, the Overseas Support Team (Ondersteuningsteam Buitenland) is currently assisting around 1,700 affected parents in 45 countries. Of those, 16.5 percent reside on Curaçao, highlighting the island's significant role in the international recovery effort.
The childcare benefits scandal, known in the Netherlands as the toeslagenaffaire, involved thousands of parents who were wrongly accused of childcare benefits fraud by the Dutch Tax Administration. Many were forced to repay large sums of money, leading to severe financial hardship, family problems and, in some cases, the removal of children from their homes. The scandal ultimately led to the resignation of the Dutch government in 2021.
Unlike victims living in the Netherlands, parents residing abroad do not have access to the full range of support services provided through Dutch municipalities.
The Ministry of Finance explains that the Overseas Support Team cannot offer regular public services or long-term assistance because it must operate within the laws and regulations of the country where each parent lives.
Instead, the team helps victims identify available local support services. Where adequate assistance is unavailable, reasonable costs may be reimbursed under certain conditions.
Parents who decide to return to the Netherlands may also receive assistance with travel and relocation expenses, although they remain responsible for arranging their own housing.
The Dutch government is currently preparing a separate policy framework specifically for victims living abroad. The new policy is expected to provide greater clarity about the types of assistance available and the conditions under which support can be provided.
The report also warns that financial compensation received by victims may have tax or social security implications in their country of residence. According to the Dutch government, agreements similar to those in the Netherlands—where compensation is exempt from wealth calculations for tax purposes—cannot automatically be applied in every country.
Besides Curaçao, the largest groups of affected parents living outside the Netherlands are found in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany and Turkey.
The latest figures underscore the lasting international impact of one of the Netherlands' biggest government scandals in recent history, with hundreds of Curaçao residents continuing to rely on the Dutch recovery program years after the affair came to light.