There are generally three childcare options for children aged between 0-4 years:
- Een kinderdagverblijf (meestal een groep van 10 tot 30 kinderen)
- Een gastouder
- Een combinatie van bovenstaande opties met parttime werk.
Dutch employees have the luxury to rely on grandparents to fill in the remaining hours, which is unfortunately not an option for international staff.
Parents in the Netherlands can apply for child care allowances to cover expenses via the Tax authority (Belastingdienst)It is not unusual to work temporarily for four days per week, the fifth being colloquially referred to as ‘mama day’ or ‘papa day’. Once children are in school, parents have the option of paying for ‘after-school care’ (buitenschoolse opvang, BSO), often organised on the school premises and consisting of supervised play.
