A massive 850 children have disappeared from Dutch asylum shelters between 2021 and 2023, Lost in Europe reported. The collective of investigative journalists investigated missing unaccompanied child asylum seekers in Europe. At least 51,433 children have disappeared in European countries in the past three years.
The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) has launched an exploratory investigation into whether children are safe in the Dutch asylum chain. “We understand that this is a very complex problem, but that must not stand in the way of offering minimal safety to the most vulnerable group: children,” said OVV chairman Chris van Dam.
Almost a third of Dutch municipalities - 111 of the 342 - have not sheltered a single asylum seeker in the past 12 years, RTV Noord reports based on figures provided by the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum seekers. Remarkably, several municipalities that say they don’t have room to take in asylum seekers did have room to shelter Ukrainian refugees, the broadcaster found.