Financial compensation is not a consideration and usually if a mistake has been made this is acknowledged as something that does occasionally happen and the midwife or doctor will receive a warning. After three warnings court proceedings may be commenced. This approach is made possible because of the social support system in Holland, which provides fully for parents who have a handicapped child through the national insurance system and other community facilities. There is no need to sue the doctor or midwife to obtain money to pay for this care. This is a very ethical approach to the provision of maternity services and brings out the best in both the professional care givers and the community as a whole.
Life is centred around the home in Holland.
Your home is your castle and the family are all important. The average age of a woman having their first child is 29 years and women tend to have a career first, moving on to motherhood at a later age. Long maternity leave is common and most women then take up part time work to accommodate their family's needs. This shows the level of emancipation in Holland - a woman can have both babies and a career when the children are young. Women who return to work in their 40s have the benefit of skills gained from caring from a family and there is still time to reach a peak position in their field.