Youth Protection North

What Youth Protection North does

Youth Protection North (Stichting Jeugdbescherming Noord en Veilig Thuis Groningen, trading as JB Noord) is a Dutch certified institution (gecertificeerde instelling) established in 2014 to execute court-ordered youth protection and youth rehabilitation measures across the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe. It is the statutory GI for these two provinces and operates four core service lines: Jeugdbescherming (court-mandated supervision orders, provisional supervision, guardianship, and out-of-home placements), Jeugdreclassering (youth rehabilitation programs including ITB-CRIEM and ITB Harde Kern for juvenile offenders), Veilig Thuis Groningen (a 24/7 reporting center for domestic violence and child safety concerns), and Ons vrijwillig aanbod (voluntary preventive support and consultation for municipalities). All case work is delivered through the Signs of Safety methodology, an Australian-developed solution- and system-oriented practice framework, with secure client communication handled via the Zivver encrypted messaging platform.

The organization employs approximately 250 staff across two regional offices in Groningen and Assen and is governed by a Raad van Toezicht and an executive director. Hemmala Sheerbahadoersing was appointed executive director in February 2025 following a governance and quality crisis that triggered a bridging certificate from Keurmerkinstituut in December 2024 and enhanced supervision by IGJ/IJV from July 2025; full certification was reinstated in March 2026 and enhanced supervision lifted in June 2026.

The business model is fully publicly funded: all services are commissioned by the 23 municipalities of Groningen and Drenthe through statutory contracts, with supplementary municipal grants provided in 2025 to support a recovery plan and expansion of execution capacity. There are no commercial pricing models, no equity capital, and no M&A activity; the entity is structured as a Dutch stichting (foundation) with no parent company, subsidiaries beyond Veilig Thuis Groningen as a wholly owned core operating unit, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Youth Protection North

Legal name

Stichting Jeugdbescherming Noord en Veilig Thuis Groningen

Website

https://jeugdbeschermingnoord.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Youth Protection North (JB Noord) is a Dutch certified institution executing court-ordered youth protection, youth rehabilitation, and the Veilig Thuis Groningen reporting function across Groningen and Drenthe, funded entirely by the provinces' 23 municipalities and employing approximately 250 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Youth Protection Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Parole Offices and Probation Offices (92215)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Juvenile Justice System (Courts & Detention) (BPAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Youth protection services
• Juvenile rehabilitation
• Child welfare services
• Youth justice supervision
• Family preservation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Municipal Government Funding: Youth Protection North is funded through contractual arrangements with the municipalities of Groningen and Drenthe. These municipalities commission the organization to execute youth protection measures, youth rehabilitation, and the Safe Home (Veilig Thuis) function. Municipalities have provided supplementary financial resources for recovery and staffing improvements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Youth Protection North (Jeugdbescherming Noord / JB Noord) is a Dutch government-certified institution that executes court-ordered youth protection measures (including supervision orders, out-of-home placements, and guardianship) and youth rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe. It also operates Veilig Thuis Groningen, a 24/7 reporting and coordination center for domestic violence and child safety concerns, and provides voluntary preventive support services to families at risk of court intervention.

Product overview

Youth Protection North (Jeugdbescherming Noord / JB Noord) is a certified institution (gecertificeerde instelling) providing child protection and youth rehabilitation services in the Groningen and Drenthe provinces of the Netherlands. The organization operates as a unified service offering with four interconnected core products: Jeugdbescherming (Youth Protection) delivering court-mandated measures such as supervision orders and out-of-home placements; Jeugdreclassering (Youth Rehabilitation) providing intervention programs for youth offenders; Veilig Thuis Groningen (Safe Home Groningen) offering a 24/7 hotline and coordination for domestic violence concerns; and Ons vrijwillig aanbod (Voluntary Support Services) providing preventive support to families. All services are delivered using the Signs of Safety methodology, a solution-oriented and systemic approach. The organization employs approximately 250 staff and is supervised by the Inspectorates for Health Care and Youth (IGJ) and Justice and Security (IJV).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jeugdbescherming (Youth Protection) Court-mandated child protection measures including supervision orders (OTS), provisional supervision (VOTS), out-of-home placement, and guardianship services for children and families in Groningen and Drenthe provinces whose development is threatened or who face unsafe home situations.
• Jeugdreclassering (Youth Rehabilitation) Court-ordered youth rehabilitation services including regular youth rehabilitation measures, ITB-CRIEM (a culturally sensitive intervention for ethnic minority youth), and ITB Harde Kern (an intensive supervision program for serious or repeat young offenders) in Groningen and Drenthe.
• Veilig Thuis Groningen (Safe Home Groningen)

Quantifiable outcome

• Enhanced supervision (verscherpt toezicht) lifted by IGJ and IJ&V in June 2026 following demonstrated quality improvements across all assessed standards.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Inspectie Gezondheidszorg en Jeugd (IGJ) en Inspectie Justitie en Veiligheid (IJ&V)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 24 July 2025The Dutch Health and Youth Inspectorate and the Inspectorate of Justice and Security conducted enhanced supervision (verscherpt toezicht) on Youth Protection North from July 2025. Following demonstrated improvements, this enhanced supervision was lifted in June 2026. The organizations maintain regular monitoring through standard supervision going forward.
• Keurmerkinstituut (Certification Institute)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 December 2024The certification body (KMI) assessed Youth Protection North's compliance with quality standards. Initially issued a bridging certificate in December 2024, and following multiple intensive audits over six months, re-certified the organization in March 2026. The full certificate is valid until June 2028. The certification confirms the organization functions properly and meets established norms.
• AEF (Adviesbureau voor Effectieve Financiën)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 October 2024External research bureau commissioned jointly by Youth Protection North and the municipalities of Groningen and Drenthe to conduct a critical review of the organization and provide recommendations for fundamental improvement. The AEF research started in October 2024 and resulted in a recovery plan with improvement recommendations covering governance, leadership, culture, workload, and staffing.
• Jeugdstem, Zorgbelang Drenthe, and Zorgbelang GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThese organizations provide formal trusted persons (vertrouwenspersoon) for clients of Youth Protection North and Veilig Thuis Groningen. Jeugdstem provides initial telephone advice and connects clients to independent trusted persons from Zorgbelang. The service is free of charge. Trusted persons are independent, treat information confidentially, and do not contact Youth Protection North without client consent.
• Spoed voor Jeugd Drenthe (Emergency for Youth Drenthe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe provincial reporting point for youth crises in Drenthe, commissioned by the 12 Drenthe municipalities. Coordinated by a network of care providers including Accare, Ambiq, De Trans, GGZ Drenthe, Jeugdbescherming Noord, Promens Care, Veilig Thuis Drenthe, Jeugdhulp regio Drenthe, and Yorneo. Youth Protection Noord participates as a provider within this network.
• GGD-Drenthe (Veilig Thuis Drenthe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeilig Thuis Drenthe falls under GGD-Drenthe (municipal health service), which is a distinct organizational entity from Veilig Thuis Groningen (which is part of Youth Protection Noord's structure). GGD-Drenthe coordinates the Safe Home function for Drenthe province.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• William Schrikker Groep: National Dutch certified institution under the Jeugdautoriteit framework, providing youth protection, guardianship, and rehabilitation services. Comparable in statutory mandate, methodology adoption, and court-mandated service delivery, but operates at national rather than regional scale.
• Jeugdbescherming Regio Amsterdam: Dutch gecertificeerde instelling executing court-ordered youth protection and rehabilitation measures in the Amsterdam region. Directly comparable as a sibling GI under the same statutory framework, similar Signs of Safety-style practice model, and similar municipal funding structure.
• Leger des Heils Jeugdbescherming & Reclassering: Operating as a gecertificeerde instelling within a larger social services organization, providing youth protection and rehabilitation across multiple Dutch regions. Comparable in statutory youth protection role and court-mandated caseload, but differentiated by parent organization's broader social services portfolio.
• Jeugdbescherming Brabant: Certified institution executing youth protection measures in North Brabant. Direct peer operating under the same Dutch statutory framework with municipal commissioning and comparable service portfolio (OTS, voogdij, jeugdreclassering).
• Jeugdbescherming Overijssel: Certified institution providing youth protection and rehabilitation in Overijssel. Closest geographic and structural peer to JB Noord, with similar two-province scope, municipal funding, and recent recovery trajectory from regulatory scrutiny.

Regional players

• GGD Groningen: Municipal health service in Groningen covering public health functions including preventive youth healthcare (jeugdgezondheidszorg). Comparable as a regional public-sector organization serving children and families in the same province, though focused on preventive health rather than statutory protection.

Others

• Jeugdautoriteit: Dutch governmental authority overseeing youth care providers including certified institutions. Relevant as the supervisory counterpart to JB Noord and a key stakeholder in funding and regulatory compliance.
• Veilig Thuis Nederland: National association coordinating the regional Veilig Thuis reporting centers, including Veilig Thuis Groningen which JB Noord operates. Comparable on the domestic violence and child safety reporting mandate, but as a coordinating body rather than a direct operator.
• Jeugdzorg Nederland: Branch association representing Dutch youth care providers including certified institutions. Relevant as the industry body that shapes policy and contract terms under which JB Noord operates.

Emerging players

• Pactum Jeugd- en Opvoedhulp: Dutch provider of youth care including residential and ambulatory services that interfaces with the certified institution system. Comparable as part of the broader youth protection ecosystem serving overlapping municipal clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Protection North