Accommodation requirements for childcare locations

Do you have a childcare location for daycare or out-of-school care (BSO) in the Netherlands? Then you must provide safe and healthy spaces where children can play. Young children also need enough space to sleep. These spaces must be suitable for the children’s age and the number of children.

Requirements for childcare accommodation

Childcare locations for daycare and out-of-school care (BSO) must meet requirements for safety, space, and construction. There are also rules on fire safety, ventilation, noise, and play and sleep areas. For example:

Indoor and outdoor play spaces

• The indoor spaces, outdoor spaces, and play materials must be safe and clean.
• Does your daycare centre have several core childcare groups? These are fixed groups of children. Each group must have its own fixed group space.
• For every child present, there must be 3.5 m2 of indoor play space.
• For every child present, there must be 3 m2 of outdoor play space.
• At a daycare centre, the outdoor play space for children under 2 years old must be directly adjacent to the childcare location. For children aged 2 and up, the outdoor play area must at least be adjacent to the building that houses the childcare location.
• At an out-of-school care location, the outdoor play space should preferably be directly adjacent to the location. If the outdoor play space is not directly adjacent, it must be nearby, accessible, and safe to reach.

Sleep areas

• Do you care for children under 18 months old? Then there must be enough space for them to sleep. This sleep area must be separate from the sleep area for children older than 18 months.
• In new buildings, the sleep area must be in a protected fire compartment. This is a separate space inside the building that offers protection for some time in case of fire.
• Strict ventilation requirements apply especially to sleep areas with bunk beds.

Fire safety, ventilation, and noise

• The building must be fire-safe. For example, there must be self-closing fire doors. Whether you need a fire alarm system or smoke detectors depends on the size of the building and which floor the childcare location is on. In new buildings, fire hose reels are mandatory.
• Curtains, floor coverings, decorations, play equipment, and furniture must be fire-safe.
• A childcare location must have good ventilation. You must make sure that children at the childcare location are not exposed to too much noise. Use sound insulation, for example.

Windows, floors, fences, and toilets

• Every room where children stay must have windows, except for rooms that are only used as sleep areas.
• Requirements apply to height differences and openings in floors, fences, and gates. This helps prevent children from falling or getting stuck.
• Is the childcare location larger than 250 m2? Then new buildings must have at least 1 toilet for people with disabilities.

Renovating a childcare location

Do you want to renovate an existing location for daycare or out-of-school care? Then you may need to apply for an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning). Go to the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch) and do the permit check. You can also apply for a permit directly.

Please note: Rules from the General Municipal By-law (APV) may also apply.

Building a new childcare location

Do you want to build a new childcare location? Or do you want to use an existing building for daycare or out-of-school care? Check if this fits in with the municipal environment plan (omgevingsplan). The environment plan lists locations where childcare is allowed. You can view the environment plan in the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch).