Episode Details

SAVE, a Dutch youth care organization, secretly sent vulnerable children to Spain without securing required Spanish consent — even after Dutch courts ordered them to stop. Despite EU rules mandating cross-border child placements require host country approval, and Spain’s strict policy limiting foreign placements to those with Spanish family ties, SAVE proceeded twice more, forcing judicial intervention to bring the kids back. One child was visibly distressed by the return. SAVE claims they acted out of urgency — citing lack of Dutch care options, children’s wishes to stay, and fears of harm during forced repatriation — and says placement can take 9-12 months in the Netherlands. But judges warn unauthorized placements leave children without Spanish oversight, risking safety if they run away or get into trouble. This isn’t isolated to Spain — similar programs operate in Poland, Portugal, France, and Belgium, sparking parliamentary scrutiny after a March court ruling found SAVE violated EU law. Amid a nationwide child protection crisis — over 200 children without legal guardians due to staff shortages — the stakes for these vulnerable youth are dangerously high.

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