• Affiliated researchers: Laura Rodenburg, Ankie Menting, Bram Orobio de Castro
• Funding organisation: ZonMw
• Project duration: 2025–2030

Parents in disadvantaged neighbourhoods facing complex problems are deeply concerned that their children may be drawn, often unwittingly, into (minor) criminal behaviour and early school dropout. These problems can be prevented far more effectively than was long assumed, provided there is sufficiently early, integrated collaboration to tailor the use of proven, connective core elements around parenting, school climate and the local neighbourhood.

The aim of the project is to halve the development of (minor) criminal behaviour and school dropout among children from vulnerable families in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in major cities by:

• Strengthening neighbourhood-based work: together with families, combining proven effective core elements of parent-, school- and community-based interventions in a tailored way within primary (frontline) services.
• Learning from this process how such approaches can be developed in a tailored way in other neighbourhoods, through systematic collaborative monitoring, evaluation and improvement in local learning cycles.

• Researcher: Eddie Brummelman

Society faces large and persistent levels of educational inequality. Around the world, children from poor and working-class backgrounds are far more likely to underperform in school than children from middle-class or affluent backgrounds. Why do they underperform? And how can we reduce these inequalities? During my fellowship, I will use my expertise in self-view development to study the pressing problem of inequality. My research shows that, from a young age, children form views of themselves and their abilities. What role do these self-views play in the emergence and maintenance of inequality? This research is a first step in exploring this idea. It will combine methods from different disciplines (e.g., psychology, sociology, economics, and educational science).

• Affiliated researchers: Annick Zijlstra-Kroek, Maroesjka van Nieuwenhuijzen, Bram Orobio de Castro
• Funding organisation: ZonMw
• Project duration: 2021–2026

Newborns of mothers with a mild intellectual disability and multiple complex problems face an elevated risk of unsafe parenting. This project examined which forms of support, risk and protective factors are crucial during pregnancy and, on that basis, developed the Safe Start intervention. Case file analysis showed that child safety is mainly related to an accumulation of factors across different life domains, rather than to the disability itself. Internationally, prenatal child protection measures are rare, except in the Netherlands, where they are frequently used despite lacking an explicit legal basis.

To improve preventive support, Safe Start was developed and evaluated in a quasi-experimental study. Safe Start showed a clear reduction in out-of-home placements (15% vs 74% in the comparison group).

Timely, accessible and voluntary support offers a highly promising alternative alongside, or instead of, formal child protection measures.

• Researchers: Joyce Coervers (UvA/RID), Dr Isabelle Oostveen-de Vink (UvA), Dr Madelon van den Boer (UvA), and Prof. Dr Elise de Bree (UvA), in collaboration with RID
• Funding: Stichting Onderwijsleerproblemen

Although basic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic are essential for participation in society, dyscalculia receives far less attention in research than dyslexia. This results in limited knowledge about both the characteristics of children with dyscalculia and the effectiveness of treatments. In this project, we investigate which children with severe and persistent numeracy difficulties are referred for dyscalculia care. In addition, we examine the effectiveness of specialist dyscalculia treatment, about which there is currently hardly any scientific evidence. Using extensive data from RID Taal Rekenen, child characteristics, diagnostics and treatment outcomes are analysed. Together, this project provides insight into who receives dyscalculia care and how effective this care is, with the aim of improving support for children with dyscalculia.

• Names of affiliated researchers: Geertjan Overbeek, Brechtje de Mooij, Loes van Rijn – van Gelderen (PI)
• Names of funding organisations: ZonMw 
• Duration of the project: 2 years (October 2024 – October 2026)
• Project description of max. 200 words: 

Many children experience psychosocial problems, and in the Netherlands, approximately half a million young people up to the age of 23 seek professional support for these difficulties. Preventive parenting interventions play an important role in promoting children’s psychosocial well-being. Research has shown that supporting parents in strengthening their parenting strategies is one of the most effective ways to prevent or reduce psychosocial problems in children and adolescents. One well-established preventive intervention is the Family Check-Up, a brief, family-centered program designed to improve parenting practices and reduce child problem behavior. Most evidence for the effectiveness of the Family Check-Up comes from studies conducted abroad. Although these studies show promising results, it remains important to examine whether the intervention is similarly effective within the Dutch youth care context. In two ongoing studies, we evaluate the implementation and overall effectiveness of the Family Check-Up in real-world youth care settings in the Netherlands. In addition, we examine which elements of the intervention contribute most to positive outcomes, focusing specifically on motivational interviewing techniques and individualized feedback to parents. By studying both effectiveness and key components, this research aims to improve preventive youth care by identifying professional practices that are proven to work.

• • Researchers: Dr Cara Verwimp (UvA), Dr Jurgen Tijms (RID), Dr Britt Hakvoort (Auris) and Prof. Dr Elise de Bree (UvA)
  • Funding: ZonMw Deelkracht

Many children with developmental language disorder (DLD) also experience severe and persistent word-reading difficulties. In this project, we examine the effectiveness of dyslexia treatment for children with DLD who also have dyslexia. We do this using two comparisons. First, we compare the reading and spelling outcomes of a group of children with DLD attending cluster 2 education who receive specialist dyslexia treatment with those of earlier cohorts from cluster 2 education—i.e. children with DLD in cluster 2 with the same severe reading difficulties but without specialist dyslexia treatment.
Second, we compare the effectiveness of dyslexia treatment for children with DLD in cluster 2 and dyslexia with that for a group of children with specific dyslexia only, and with a group of children with ADHD in cluster 4 education who also have dyslexia. The research findings will also contribute to a practical guideline on dyslexia diagnosis and treatment in children with DLD and dyslexia.

The main research lines are:

• Language acquisition, literacy and numeracy, with particular attention to learning difficulties
• Interaction and relationships between professional educators and young people, particularly pupils with special educational needs

• Affiliated researchers: Leonieke Bendermaker, Cora van de Weerdhof, Annette Tijmann, Bram Orobio de Castro
• Funding organisation: Dutch National Science Agenda
• Project duration: 2024–2030

This six-year development and research programme focuses on supporting professionals in specialist youth care. Our aim is to embed workplace learning sustainably in everyday practice and to create a robust implementation infrastructure. In this way, we contribute to improving the quality of youth care.

The programme centres on active ingredients of interventions, which form the basis for developing effective support for care professionals.

• Researchers: Dr Debora Roorda and Dr Rianne Bosman
• Partially funded by: AUF, Boer ’t Hooft Foundation

Previous research shows that positive relationships with teachers lead to greater engagement, better achievement and fewer behavioural problems among students in secondary education. However, we still know little about how to strengthen teacher–student relationships in this context. This project therefore investigates the effectiveness of two intervention programmes aimed at improving mentor–student relationships in secondary (special) education:

• Teacher–Student Interaction Coaching (LLInC): LLInC uses relationship-focused reflection by the mentor to improve relationships with students. It consists of four sessions focusing specifically on two students with whom the mentor experiences relational difficulties.
• ‘I know you!’: Mentor and student engage in a conversation about shared interests (hobbies, interests, etc.). This fosters a sense of connection, thereby improving their relationship.

• Promovendus: Mieke Oldeman
• Promotors: Bram Orobio de Castro, Eva van Reijmersdal, Eline Smit

The prevalence of anxiety- and depression-related complaints in adolescents and emerging     adults has risen over the last decade, but youth face barriers when seeking professional help. Many therefore rely on social media for mental health information. Online short videos (OSVs) are a new form of online health information, which may come with risks and benefits for susceptible adolescents and emerging adults (e.g., misinformation and accessible    psychoeducation respectively).

In this project, we aim to understand to what extent, under which circumstances, and for whom mental health information in OSVs may be beneficial or detrimental. We will explore the information needs and mental health-related OSV consumption of adolescents and emerging  adults with anxiety- and depression-related complaints, and how their OSV consumption is related to their well-being. These findings will be used to develop and test a brief intervention to improve mental well-being.

• Promovendus: Naemi Alders
• Promotors: Eddie Brummelman, Jellie Sierksma (Utrecht University)

Unequal opportunities in education are a pressing societal issue. Children from low socioeconomic status (SES) or immigration backgrounds underperform in school relative to their high-SES or non-immigrant peers, even when they are equally competent. One common solution is to tailor education to children’s individual needs. Yet, such differentiation is often guided by teachers’ subjective perceptions of ability, which may, unknowingly and unintentionally, be influenced by societal stereotypes.

This project focuses on informal differentiation, examining how teachers’ everyday adaptations in instruction and feedback might inadvertently contribute to inequality. Using experimental, observational, and longitudinal studies with young children, we investigate whether, when, and how differentiation practices shape children’s self-views, social inclusion, and academic achievement.

The PhD project is part of the Differentiation in Education project, funded by Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (NRO) of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).