The Netherlands does not have a single overarching national strategy dedicated exclusively to the social inclusion of young people. Instead, social inclusion is addressed through multiple sectoral strategies and programmes coordinated by different ministries. Key frameworks include:

• National Programme on Poverty and Debt (Nationaal programma armoede en schulden, 2025, only in Dutch)
• Child Guarantee: The Netherlands joined the EU Child Guarantee in 2022 and published its first biennial implementation report in 2024 (Biennial Report).
• Action Plan Equal Opportunities in Education (Actieplan Gelijke kansen in het onderwijs, only in Dutch)
• Action Plan Broad Approach to Debts (Actieplan Brede Schuldenaanpak,  only in Dutch)
• Regulations for poverty projects and fiscal measures supporting families with children.

Child Guarantee (2022–present)
The Child Guarantee aims to ensure that children in vulnerable situations have access to essential services. The Dutch implementation focuses on:

• Early childhood education and care (ECEC): Adjustments to childcare allowance and municipal schemes; Early Childhood Development Programme supports transitions to primary education (Biennial Report).
• Education and school-based activities: National Programme for Education provides grants for staff supporting families; Healthy School programme promotes healthy lifestyles (Biennial Report).
• Healthcare: Youth Reform Agenda and Solid Start programme enhance support for children with special needs and vulnerable parents (Biennial Report).
• Healthy meals: School Meals programme provides daily meals to over 300,000 students from low-income families (Biennial Report).
• Healthy nutrition: Legal restrictions on food marketing aimed at children; tightening of the Food Advertising Code (Biennial Report).
• Adequate housing: National Housing and Homebuilding Agenda and Housing First approach aim to end homelessness by 2030 (Biennial Report).

Other strategies:

• Broad Approach to Debts (2018–present): 40 measures to prevent problematic debts and support households (Actieplan Brede Schuldenaanpak).
• Poverty reduction measures: Annual €100 million budget for families with children, including school materials, sports, and cultural activities (Kamerbrief ambities kinderarmoede, only in Dutch).
• Equal Opportunities in Education (2016–present): Focus on reducing educational inequality through transition support and municipal partnerships (Actieplan Gelijke kansen in het onderwijs).

Target groups:

• Children in poverty
• NEETs (young people neither in employment nor education or training)
• Young people with migrant or ethnic minority backgrounds
• Young refugees
• Homeless youth
• Young people with disabilities
• Young families

• Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW): Poverty, debt prevention, Child Guarantee coordination.
• Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW): Equal opportunities in education.
• Cooperation with Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), municipalities (VNG), schools, and civil society organisations.

• Child Guarantee: Introduced in 2022; first biennial report published in 2024 (Biennial Report). New integrated approach combining education, healthcare, nutrition, and housing.
• Broad Approach to Debts: Continued beyond 2021; additional funding during COVID-19 crisis (Actieplan Brede Schuldenaanpak).
• Equal Opportunities in Education: Expanded to more municipalities since 2020 (Actieplan Gelijke kansen in het onderwijs).
• Poverty projects and fiscal measures: No major content changes, but scaling up and preservation of projects during the pandemic (Kamerbrief ambities kinderarmoede).