Amsterdam - A Dutch civil youth court appointed a temporary publicly-appointed custodian on Friday for 13-year-old Laura Dekker to study whether the girl is capable to carry out her ambition of sailing solo around the world. Laura's parents must now consult with the local youth welfare services - her legal custodian - before taking any significant decisions about her. Without their consent, Laura may not set sail, the court said.
Emphasizing the risks of solo-sailing around the world, the court did however not rule out Laura could eventually embark on her trip.
The court also said neither side had presented the court with sufficient evidence for their respective positions.
Youth protection services - which had filed the suit, requesting to suspend Laura's parents' custodial rights, had not demonstrated the world trip would harm Laura's development.
But Laura and her father also not shown the teenage girl was sufficiently equipped to deal with challenges involved.
The court therefore ordered a two-month investigation. A court-appointed psychologist would address these issues and the question whether Laura could continue her studies independently while on sea, would also have to be answered.
On October 26, the parties would reconvene in court to discuss the results of the investigation in a closed hearing.
The court rejected the youth protection services' request to suspend altogether her parent's custodial rights because "this most extreme type of measure" is only possible if there were grounds to do so.
"This measure can only be taken if it has been established the parents have grossly neglected the child's care and education," the court said.
The civil youth judge said Laura's father showed he "is aware" his daughter's "dream voyage" involves many risks and that it is his responsibility to take the necessary precautionary measures.
"The way the father raises his daughter may cause intense public debate, but that does not mean the father should be considered a bad father," the court said.
The court also rejected the youth protection services' request to place Laura in the care of her mother or in a youth facility pending further investigation.
Youth protections services and Laura's father both responded positive to the ruling.
A youth protection services spokesperson said he was "content" the court appointed a legal custodian pending further investigation.
Dekker's parents formally requested the local authorities several months ago to permit their daughter to miss school for two years so she could undertake her solo voyage.
When permission was denied and the parents announced they would still support their daughter's plans to sail solo around the world, youth protection services launched an investigation and eventually filed a suit in an emergency procedure.
Laura Dekker lives with her father on his boat near Wijk bij Duurstede in the central Netherlands. She has Dutch, German and New Zealand nationality.
A spokesperson of the Wijk bij Duurstede municipality said on Friday the town would not grant the request by Laura's father filed on Monday to remove his daughter from the population registry because she would settle in New Zealand.
"We took this decision also in the context of the court ruling, the youth welfare authorities and other involved parties," the spokesperson said. He added that if Laura would not appear on the Revius Lyceum when the new school year opens on Monday, the education authorities would be alerted.
Youth and Family Minister Andre Rouvout (Christian Union) meanwhile expressed his concern over the impact of the international media attention on Laura's well-being.
"Media hype does not serve Laura or this case," Rouvoet said.
