The reasons behind these restraints were generally driven by overslicing and inadequate living conditions in emergency shelters. "These forty reports are just the tip of the iceberg," said Ekann's co-founder and pediatrician Marijn Baauw. " Refugee children are now slipping through the cracks.

"

There are currently around 16,000 children under 18 living in Dutch asylum centers, many in temporary shelters that the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate has said are unsafe and unsuitable for children.

Many Moves Interfere with Critical Care
It's common for children to be shuffled among shelters, with over 7,000 children witnessing one or more of these transfers a year. Those actions disrupt medical care, and doctors are often left in the dark about a child's whereabouts or health status.

Another young boy, who was left impoverished with little clothing was not brought to a shelter until he already had frostbite, said Dr Anne van Els, a paediatrician at Bravis Hospital. In another, a girl with a rare genetic disorder vanished from care after being removed without warning. "Only through my efforts I had to find this out," van Els said.

"Not all pediatricians are able to do that. We can't always afford to do that or we don't have the time to.

Demands for a more supportive and coordinated approach
Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers (.