Social exclusion in the Netherlands

This study seeks to provide a greater insight into the situation of citizens for whom 'taking part' is a problem, in other words who are victims of social exclusion. In order to expose this problem adequately, it is first important to make clear how the extent and nature of social exclusion can be established. With this in mind, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research/SCP included the project 'Indicators of social exclusion' in its 2003 Research Programme. The present study builds on the life situation research by the SCP which has periodically charted the welfare and well-being of the Dutch population over a great many years. The most recent edition of the Poverty Monitor (Armoedemonitor) (from 2001) dedicated a separate chapter to indicators of social exclusion. This document builds further on this. In compiling it, SCP is seeking to contribute to the development of a set of indicators which are not only scientifically based and methodologically valid, but which are above all also relevant for policy.