THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – Victims of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal living in Curaçao now have more clarity about the support available to them. A new policy regulation defines the types of assistance they can receive, which costs may be covered and the conditions for those who wish to return to the Netherlands.
The policy regulation was published in the Dutch Government Gazette on July 21, 2026, and entered into force one day later. It applies to recognized victims of the benefits scandal who live outside the Netherlands, including approximately 280 people residing in Curaçao.
Support is provided through the Ondersteuningsteam Ouders in het Buitenland (OTB), the Dutch support team for affected parents abroad. Assistance focuses on five areas of life: finances, family, employment, housing and healthcare.
Under certain conditions, partners, children, former partners and surviving relatives of affected parents may also receive support.
Personalized assistance instead of fixed payments
The OTB uses guideline amounts when determining financial support. A maximum reference amount of €5,000 applies for the affected parent and €1,500 for each family member requiring assistance. For a family of four, this could amount to €9,500.
However, the support is not an automatic payment or fixed allowance. Each family situation is assessed individually to determine what assistance is necessary, reasonable and appropriate.
The OTB also considers local circumstances, including the cost of living and available services in the country where the family resides.
The guideline amounts are not absolute limits. If additional support is needed to achieve the agreed goals, exceptions can be made. Higher amounts must be submitted to the Dutch Minister of Finance for approval.
Support may cover needs such as education, transportation to school or work, medical aids such as glasses or braces, or improvements to unsafe housing conditions. The goal is long-term recovery and helping families regain control over their lives.
Personal recovery plan
After a person is recognized as eligible for support, the OTB must contact them within ten working days to schedule an initial conversation.
During this meeting, the problems and goals in the five areas of life are discussed. These agreements are then recorded in a personal action plan, which outlines the assistance provided, any financial support granted and the responsibilities of the affected person.
The plan becomes part of an official decision, against which objections and appeals can be filed.
Most conversations take place by telephone or digitally. In exceptional cases, meetings can also take place in person in Curaçao. Curaçao is the only country outside the Netherlands where the OTB maintains a physical presence.
Certain costs excluded
The regulation also defines what support cannot normally cover. Structural income support and long-term housing costs are excluded, as are traffic fines, criminal penalties, cosmetic procedures, vacations, luxury goods and vehicle purchases.
Exceptions may be possible when a specific expense is clearly necessary for employment, education, healthcare or a safe living environment.
For example, a vehicle may be considered if no cheaper suitable alternative exists and transportation is necessary to work or study.
Debts are generally not taken over by the program. However, in emergency situations, the OTB may help cover overdue payments to prevent serious consequences such as eviction, disconnection of water or electricity, or loss of health insurance.
In those situations, measures must also be taken to prevent the problem from recurring.
Affected families must first make use of available services in Curaçao. Additional support from the OTB is only considered when local options are unavailable or insufficient.
Return to the Netherlands
The new rules also clarify the process for victims who want to return to the Netherlands.
A request to return must be submitted no later than three months after the first meeting with the OTB. The move must then take place within two years.
The Netherlands can cover reasonable travel and relocation costs, including transportation of household belongings. The OTB can also assist with communication with a Dutch municipality and transfer of the family’s case file.
However, finding housing remains the responsibility of the individual. The OTB cannot arrange social housing or restore previous registration years.
If returning to a specific municipality is not possible, alternatives must be considered, including another municipality or continued settlement in Curaçao.
Curaçao has one of the largest groups abroad
The OTB currently assists approximately 1,700 affected parents living in 45 countries. About 16.5 percent of them live in Curaçao, representing roughly 280 people.
Only Belgium has a larger group of recognized victims outside the Netherlands.
Curaçaoan victims previously raised concerns that general Dutch rules and fixed budgets did not sufficiently reflect their personal circumstances and the realities of life on the island, particularly regarding debt, healthcare and housing.
According to the Dutch government, the new policy regulation was developed partly in response to discussions with victims and legal proceedings that showed uncertainty about the limits of available assistance.
The new framework aims to provide clearer expectations about the support families affected by the benefits scandal can receive.