Elien Neimeijer

128 between clients and sociotherapists. In addition, understaffing leads to work stress and puts pressure on the work climate (including team functioning and leadership), for ex- ample because sociotherapists are asked to work overtime or to work more shifts. Not surprisingly, recent research by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor Statistiek, 2019) has shown that Dutch health care professionals experience an increased workload, partly as a result of regulatory pressure and administrative obligations. Various national reports note that the accumulation of these factors puts unaccept- ably high pressure on professionals working in forensic care settings and that the safety of both professionals and clients is at risk. The increasing pressure on forensic care has not gone unnoticed by the Dutch government. In the ‘Multi-Year Agreement Forensic Care 2018-2021’, the Ministry of Justice and Security, the Dutch mental health care (GGZ), the Association for the Dutch care for individuals with intellectual disabilities (VGN), the Federation Shelter (FO) and the RIBWAlliance have made agreements to improve safety and quality in forensic care. These agreements are carried out by a Taskforce Forensic Care. The focus of this taskforce is on improving the labor market, reducing adminis- trative burden and improving the quality of care and safety within forensic care. In this context, a national campaign ‘working in forensic care’ was launched in August 2020, with the aim of asking attention for this work field (Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid, 2018). Besides promoting this work field, forensic care should also be able to invest in their professionals in order to create the best possible quality of care. This will require financial support. Also, research-based improvements are continuously being developed like the workbook ‘Forensic High Intensive Care’, which has seen in 2020 its second edi- tion. Committing and inspiring sociotherapists should be a spearhead for secure forensic settings when they want to keep using their valuable knowledge and skills in creating a therapeutic group climate. Clinical implications This dissertation underpins the urgency of professional assistance for organisations and professionals working in secure forensic care settings to build a healthy work climate in which a therapeutic group climate is embedded. Nationwide implementation of the mul- ti-year-agreement including, to realise an adequate HRM policy as part of the national labour market campaign, reducing administrative burden, and above all improving qual- ity of care by offering education and training programmes would be welcome steps in the