Samenvatting

Recently, the role of the "bridging official" (brugfunctionaris) has been introduced in the Netherlands, with over 1,000 bridging officials now working in primary, secondary, and special education. The bridging official serves as a link between school, child, and family, ensuring that children in vulnerable circumstances can continue to participate and develop their talents. By identifying and addressing issues in the home environment early on (e.g., poverty), the bridging official takes a preventive approach and contributes to equal opportunities for every child (Huijbers, Kassenberg & Reneman, 2023). This prevents unnecessary care and medicalization of problems and relieves the burden on teachers.The role has been developed bottom-up and is carried out by both educational and social professionals. However, there is a lack of theoretical foundation for the role and concrete guidelines for professionals on how to perform their work effectively.This study addresses the following research questions:1.To what extent can the role of the bridge officer be substantiated through a socially inclusive vision of children?2.What are the needs of bridge officers in performing their work?To answer these questions, a model analysis was conducted based on the dimensions of the social and medical-individual model (Wienen, 2023), applied to the methodology description of the bridging official, supplemented with observations and focus groups. Additionally, a survey of 350 bridging officials was conducted to assess their needs in carrying out their role and the tools they require.The results indicate that the role of the bridging official can largely be substantiated through the socially inclusive model, more so than other care-oriented roles. Bridging officials report that their greatest needs are: clear positioning within the school, a practical job description, concrete task guidelines, and insight into ways to support parents (particularly those experiencing poverty).