The Netherlands has fallen behind neighbouring countries Belgium and Germany on safeguarding the rights of children in the latest ranking by international campaign group KidsRights.

The Netherlands rose one place to 19th overall, after dropping from fourth in 2022, while Germany was ranked fourth and Belgium eighth.

Researchers said problems in the youth care system such as long waiting lists, personnel shortages and proposed budget cuts of €1.1 billion, had contributed to the decline. The lack of facilities for children living in refugee accommodation was also a cause for concern.

KidsRights also marked the Netherlands down for its falling vaccination rate, with fewer than 90% of children now immunised against measles. The research was carried out in collaboration with Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

“Recent research has shown that a shift in parents’ attitudes to vaccines appear to have influenced the falling vaccination level,” the accompanying report noted. “Action by government to try to reverse this trend would be very welcome.”

Worldwide KidsRights said there had been a 21% increase in serious children’s rights violations as a result of armed conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere, including 1,650 attacks on schools and hospitals.

The Netherlands ranked 55th for health, one of the five “domains” scored by KidsRights, and 109th on the environment, despite the previous government’s “ambitious climate policy”.

The new cabinet headed by Dick Schoof has scrapped or watered down many of the plans to tackle climate change and switch to renewable energy, such as subsidies for electric cars and commitments to generate more wind power.

The country is in the top 10 on education and protection, but KidsRights said it needed to maintain its good record on drinking water by conforming with European guidelines on agriculture reform and improving its water purification systems.

Marc Dullaert, chair of KidsRights, said: “A country that doesn’t care well for its vulnerable children has a big problem. The Schoof cabinet needs to prioritise the current and future generation of vulnerable children and young people as it draws up its plans in the build-up to budget day.”