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As ever more Dutch women return to work after having children, there has been a surge of government attention towards early childhood education and care. This culminated in legislation in January 2005 to try and regulate childcare. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes two booklets in English which provide general, background information. They are The Netherlands in Depth and Coming to the Netherlands.
Health MattersPregnancy in Holland involves the general practitioner (GP) (huisart) in the care of mother and baby. After birth the GP is still the first point of contact for the child's general health. Family doctors are available Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00. In emergencies, take a child to the nearest hospital. Accident and Emergency departments are open 24-hours a day.
Immediately after birth, whether a child is born at home or in hospital, an aftercare programme called kraamzorg kicks in. This has to be booked during pregnancy as it is extremely popular. It allows that for a period of five to seven days a postnatal care nurse (kraamvezorgster) comes to the home to help with household tasks and caring for the baby. Two weeks after the birth a district nurse from the Child Health Clinic (Consultatiebureau) visits the new mother and baby at home. The nurse gives advice on care and feeding and makes an appointment for the first visit to the clinic. The nurse also makes sure the mother has a record book to record her baby's development, vaccinations and medical events. From then on until the child reaches four years of age, the Child Health Clinic is available free of charge to help families. Most children and parents make regular visits in the first year and less frequent visits after that to allow for checks to be made on height, weight, development and for vaccinations. The clinic also places great emphasis on the child/parent relationship and will make referrals to other support organisations if it believes there are serious problems. VaccinationsVaccination persiods are divided into three phases:
The vaccines are given at approximately three months, four months, five months, eleven months, fourteen months, and four years. Reminders are sent by post.
When children reach five-and-a-half years of age parents are notified via mail to visit the juvenile doctor (jeugdarts) for a health check-up. When they reach ten years they receive notification to visit a nurse (jeugdverpleegkundige) at the Juvenile Health Care Centre (Jeugdgezondheidszorg/JGZ) in their school district. The notification includes an invitation, information and a survey. At 13 years of age, children in The Hague receive a check-up from a nurse at their high school. Vaccination records should be kept and provided at each health check-up. Vaccinations and appointments are provided free of charge. The Juvenile Health Care Centre of the Public Health Department (GGD) provides guidance to parents and guardians in The Netherlands about the physical, emotional and psychological development of their children aged 4 to 19 years of age. Child BenefitChild benefit (Kinderbijslag) is paid to anyone living or working in the Netherlands with children under the age of 18. Child benefit is paid quarterly at the end of each quarter. Children born in the Netherlands must be registered with the municipal authorities at birth; an application form for child benefit will be issued automatically. Parents who arrive in the Netherlands with children must apply for child benefit. Approach the local branch of the Dutch Social Insurance Information Centre (Sociale Verzekeringsbank – SVB)
Childcare for Pre-School ChildrenThe Dutch Act on Child Care (kinderdagverblijf) came into force on 1 January 2005. This act sets out rules for the quality and financing of child care and covers day care centres, after school care and host parents. Under this act, the cost of formal childcare must be shared between parents, employers and the government, making it affordable to all income levels. The amount paid by the parents depends on income. If they both work, then both employers are expected to make a contribution. If the employer does not contribute then the government will do so. For those not in employment but involved in studying or reintegration courses, there may still be a contribution towards childcare costs. Childcare expensesExpenses for the care of children under 13 can be deducted. The following conditions apply: the taxpayer must have paid work for which they receive more than a fixed minimum salary. In the event that the taxpayer has a partner, both of them have to meet this condition. The childcare arrangement has to meet a number of legal requirements: there is a maximum amount deductible per child but the deduction is only possible above a certain income-related threshold. Childcare OptionsThere is no formal pre-school system in the Netherlands, although there are many private and local authority playgroups and crèches available. These come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. There are a number of options for childcare: NanniesIt is not common to employ a nanny in the Netherlands. If, however, this is the preferred option, please note that the employer (the employing family) is liable to pay social security for them, which is likely to prove expensive. Au pairsMore popular than nannies, particularly where there are two or more young children and both parents work. Agencies who supply au pairs can be found in the local Yellow Pages (Gouden Gids) listed under "Au Pair". The agency normally takes responsibility for checking references and language proficiency. Private baby-sittersThese may be useful for evenings and shorter periods of time on an ad-hoc basis. Most neighbourhood magazines and some of the local expatriate websites post small ads with names of students offering babysitting services. Check with local schools or neighbours for recommendations. Most Dutch teenagers speak English well so communication should not prove an issue with small children. Hourly rates vary and more is usually paid after midnight. Nurseries or playgroups (Peuterspeelzaal/Peutergroep)It is common for these to be linked to a primary school and there is an emphasis on education as they try to prepare children between two and a half and four years for school. Children are supervised by professional teachers and it is common to book a child in for a number of sessions a week. Some of these nurseries/playgroups will only accept toilet-trained children and many will be Dutch speaking. However, there are English-language playgroups available particularly in and around The Hague. Your local municipality should be able to provide more details. Childcare/day care centres (Kinderdagverbliff)There is quite a lot of flexibility for children to attend day care centres full-time or part-time. These centres accept children from the age of six weeks old up to four years (when most will begin primary education). Qualified teachers take care of the children, supervising play, feeding them and allowing a nap if required. The food is usually provided, although parents are asked to supply nappies. Demand for places is high and most have waiting lists so it is wise to put a child's name down as early as possible and perhaps with several centres. Typical hours are from 08:00 until 17:30 and children may stay up to 10 hours a day. There are some privately-run centres as well and waiting lists for these tend to be shorter. Host parents (gastouderopvang)Host parents will take children from six weeks to age twelve and there can be a good deal of flexibility regarding hours of care provided. An agency is usually involved in mediating initially and is in charge of supervision of the host parent. The agency provides toys, a bed, and playpen and other relevant equipment for very young children. Finding Other People with Pre-School ChildrenToddler groups do exist although many mums have returned to work by the time their children reach this stage. For non-Dutch residents there are a reasonable number of associations and informal groups who meet with young children. The local stadhuis will have details. Consulates are another useful source of information on such groups. Sometimes the local municipal websites have information on playgroups and activities for English speakers.
Out and About with ToddlersMost Dutch towns and cities are well equipped with parks and recreation areas. Entry is usually free and many have play areas specifically designed for young children to play safely. Parks are a municipal responsibility and are typically well cared for. Find out about local parks from the municipality or Local Tourist Information Points (TIP). During school holidays in particular special activities aimed at small children often take place in parks or museums. Many are free or very low cost. Again the local TIP will advise. Public transport throughout Holland is reliable and easy to use. Under fours travel free on all forms of public transport. Guide booksKidsgids is a series of book for parents which outlines things to do and places to go for families with children from newborn to 12 years. An English edition, Kids Guide, is a 320 page book produced specifically for expatriate families moving to and living in the Netherlands to help discover and understand the country and its culture, nature, sports, shopping and restaurants. The book can be bought online.
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