Coby Foster Care: Guilt, Shame, and Fear
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Documentary “Mom, Can I Go Home?” Sheds Light on the Pain of Foster Care for Biological Parents
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A new documentary, Mom, Can I Go Home?, premiering in cinemas on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, aims to raise awareness about the often-overlooked emotional toll of out-of-home placement on biological parents. The film features Coby de Vreugd, who placed her children in foster care 16 years ago, sharing her experience with feelings of guilt, shame, and fear.
Trailer for the documentary Mom, Can I Go Home? via YouTube.
While the welfare of the child and the role of foster families are central to discussions surrounding foster care, the documentary highlights the important pain experienced by biological parents. according to researcher Schaap, the current system remains overly focused on the child, neglecting the benefits of supporting parents as well.
Coby de Vreugd embodies this shift in viewpoint. She now dedicates her time to helping other parents through her foundation, finding strength in supporting others who have faced similar challenges.”I have grown enormously in the past year. But I also needed that then. Now I can help others, and that gives me strength,” she states.
Foster care Statistics in the Netherlands
In 2024, approximately 20,000 children and young people were placed in foster care in the Netherlands. The Netherlands Youth Institute (NJI) provides comprehensive data and research on foster care within the country.
| Year | Number of Children in Foster Care (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18,500 |
| 2021 | 19,200 |
| 2022 | 19,800 |
| 2023 | 19,900 |
| 2024 | 20,000 |
Note: Figures are approximate and based on available data from the NJI and other sources.