Requirements for playground equipment and cots to change for childminders

What changes?

Are you a childminder (gastouder)? The requirements for playground equipment and cots in childminding will change.

Playground equipment

Childminders will no longer have to comply with the Attractions and Playground Apparatus (Commodities Act) Decree 2023 (Warenwetbesluit attractie- en speeltoestellen, WAS 2023, in Dutch). This decree sets safety requirements for the use of playground equipment in public spaces. Since the play equipment is in the childminder’s garden, it is hard to determine whether this is public or private use. Therefore, from 2025 childminders no longer need to comply with the WAS 2023.

To keep childminding and the locations safe, childminders still have to take measures against health and safety risks. This is already stated in the Childcare Act and will not change. If the Municipal health service (GGD) finds that childcare is not being done safely and healthily, the municipal authorities can take measures.

Cots and playpens

The rules for cots and playpens will also change for childminders. The requirements that currently apply to childminders are meant for nurseries and daycare centres. These rules do not fit in with the way childminding works. Therefore childminders do not have to keep to the Cots and Playpens in Child Care (Commodities Act) Additional Regulations (Warenwetregeling nadere eisen kinderbedden en -boxen kinderopvang, in Dutch). However, the Commodities Act Decree on Cots and Playpens (Warenwetbesluit kinderbedden en -boxen, in Dutch) is still applicable to childminders. This means that childminders have to comply with the general safety requirements as set out in the Commodities Act Decree on Cots and Playpens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) continues to monitor this.

For whom?

• childminders

When?

The Decree exempting childminders from additional requirements for playground equipment and cots is expected to take effect on 1 January 2025.

Please note: The effective date of this measure is not yet final. Entry into force is subject to its passing through the Lower and Upper Houses (Tweede en Eerste Kamer) of parliament. After publication in the Staatsblad or Staatscourant (Government Gazette, in Dutch) the law can take effect.