Daycare for children

In the Netherlands there are daycare centers with qualified staff for children from 3 months to 4 years. The general opening hours are 7:30 hrs to 18:00 hrs on weekdays. Depending on the age of the children, the ratio of staff to children ranges from 1:3 to 1:8. The hourly costs may vary from center to center, but they generally start at €7.50-8.00 per hour.

Another option is home daycare with a registered childcare agency (gastouderbureau). Self-employed child minders can legally look after a maximum of 4 children in their own homes or in the parents’ home. They tend to charge around €5 per hour to look after the children at their own home, and this can go up to €12 at the parents’ home.