Checklist for starting a childminding agency

Published by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, KVK
Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, KVK
Statistics Netherlands, CBS
Statistics Netherlands, CBS

A childminding agency helps parents find suitable care for their children. To provide this care, childminders (gastouders) are registered with the agency. This checklist will help you quickly find out the rules for starting a host parent agency.

A childminder is responsible for looking after children in a family situation. In the Netherlands, childminders must be registered with a childminding agency.

This checklist will guide you through the general steps. Other regulations may also apply, for example municipal rules. You may work on several steps at once. Or your municipality may ask you to take the steps in a different order than listed here.

1. Check whether you fulfil the conditions for staying in the Netherlands

Entrepreneurs who intend to stay in the Netherlands must fulfil a number of conditions. You will sometimes also require a residence permit. Our interactive tool Coming to the Netherlands as an entrepreneur can help you find out quickly if this is true for you, and tell you what other obligations you have to fulfil.

If you plan to start doing business in the Netherlands, you will also need to have or apply for a business bank account (international bank account number, IBAN). The Dutch Banking Association has created a Quick Scan to help you find out if you are eligible. Read how it works.

2. Inspect the environment plan for your business location

When you choose a location for your childminding agency, check the municipal environment plan (omgevingsplan) to see if it is allowed. You can view the environment plan via ‘Regels op de kaart’ (rules on the map) of the online service counter Omgevingsloket. Does it not fit in the environment plan? Then you can ask for a change or for an environment and planning permit via the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch). If you want to start your agency at home, take the conditions of your municipality and your landlord or mortgage lender into account.

3. Apply for a certificate of good conduct

The agency’s proprietor / holder and any foundation officers or intermediaries must have a certificate of good conduct (Verklaring omtrent het gedrag, VOG) with screening profile 84 (caring for minors) or 86 (employed in childcare). You require a VOG for the registration of your childminding agency in the National Childcare Register (LRK).

4. Draw up a pedagogical policy plan

You need to draw up a pedagogical policy plan for your childminding agency. You enclose the policy plan with your application for registration in the National Childcare Register (LRK). In this plan, you describe the pedagogical vision of the care. For example, you write how guest parents help children in their development. You state your vision on how you deal with children.

5. Ensure registration in the Register for persons active in the childcare sector (PRK)

Anyone working or living at a place where children are cared for must register in the Persons active in the childcare sector (Personenregister kinderopvang, PRK). These persons are checked regularly. For example, for criminal offences.

6. Register your agency, childminders and locations with the National Childcare Register

At least 10 weeks before the start of your childminding agency you must apply for registration in the National Childcare Register with the municipal authorities. Parents can only receive childcare benefits if your agency is registered in the LRK. You must also register the child minders and the childcare locations. For this, you must submit a separate application.

7. Make sure the childminding locations comply with furnishings and fittings requirements

The childminding locations registered to your agency must comply with furnishing requirements. Children must be able to play and rest safely. Check the requirements for childminding locations.

8. Draw up a health and safety policy

You have to draw up an up-to-date health and safety policy. You should check it regularly and amend it when necessary. This way, you ensure that safety and health is a continuous process in your childcare centre.

9. Hire qualified staff

The owner of a childminding agency doesn't need specific training, but your childminders and childcare mediators must satisfy a number of qualification requirements. They must also have a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).

10. Join the Childcare Disputes Committee

You have to join the Childcare Disputes Committee. This is an organisation that assesses complaints from parents and carers. You register here for all your locations. Inform parents and the parents' committee that you have registered with the Disputes Committee.

11. Draw up a protocol for responding to child abuse

You must draw up a protocol in which you specify in 5 steps how you and your staff will respond to suspected instances of child abuse.

12. Draw up regulations for the parents’ committee

You need to have a parents’ committee for your childminding agency. Also make regulations for the parent committee. In it you describe the rules for the members. You must have the parents’ committee regulations ready within 6 months of applying for inclusion in the National Childcare Register (LRK). You do not have to have a parents’ committee if you can prove you have made an effort to put one together and if no more than 50 childminders are associated with your agency.

13. Keep records

As the owner of a childminding agency, you have to keep business records. Among other things, you keep a list of all the childminders associated with your agency, and the children who are registered. You must also keep a financial administration. Check the requirements for your administration.

14. Register with the Dutch Business Register and Dutch Tax Administration

If you start or take over a childminding agency, you will need to register with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) in the Dutch Business Register. You pay a registration fee.

You may also have to register with the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst). This depends on the legal structure you have chosen. Limited companies and foundations have to register with KVK and the Belastingdienst separately. If you register as a different type of business structure, the KVK will pass on your details to the Tax Administration. They will issue you with a VAT identification number, to use for correspondence and invoices to your customers, and a VAT number, to use for your dealings with the Tax Administration. You will receive these numbers from the Belastingdienst by post.

Statistics: enterprises in child day-care

Number of enterprises in child day-care

Questions relating to this article?

Please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO