Step-by-step plan: Starting as a childminder
Do you want to start as a childminder and are you 18 or older? There are rules you must follow. As a childminder, you must complete certain training courses. And your premises must be safe for children and meet certain requirements. This checklist will help you prepare to start as a childminder.
A childminder, called gastouder in Dutch, is responsible for looking after children in a family situation. In the Netherlands, childminders must be registered with a childminding agency.
Entrepreneurs who intend to stay in the Netherlands must fulfil several conditions. You will sometimes also require a residence permit. Our interactive tool Moving 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.
As a childminder, you must register in KVK’s Business Register if you meet the conditions for becoming an entrepreneur. Do you:
- look after children (provide a service)?
- receive payment for this?
- do business with people other than your family or friends?
Then you are an entrepreneur and must register. After you register with KVK, the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) will automatically receive your details. You do not have to register your company separately with the Tax Administration.
As a childminder, you must register with an agency listed in the National Childcare Register (LRK, in Dutch). Since 1 July 2026, you may only join a maximum of 2 agencies as a childminder.
If you own a childminding agency, you may not be a childminder for your own agency.
For your registration in the National Childcare Register (step 5) you need a valid Certificate of Conduct (VOG). This proves that you have not done anything in the past that prevents you from working as a childminder.
Read how to apply for a VOG.
Register in the PRK
You must also register as a person active in the childcare sector. This is known as the Register for persons active in the childcare sector (Personenregister kinderopvang or PRK). When you are registered, you will regularly be checked for possible criminal offences (continuous screening).
You must register all people who are regularly at your childcare location. For example, family members aged 18 or older or interns who are with you for more than 10 days or 2 weeks.
After you have registered in the PRK, you must be linked to a childcare organisation or a childminding agency. These organisations must make this link. Your PRK registration is then complete.
Before you start working as a childminder, you must register in the National Childcare Register (LRK).
- The childminding agency registers you in the LRK.
- The Municipal Health Service (GGD) checks whether your childcare location meets all the requirements.
- If it does, the municipality will register your childcare location in the LRK. Then you can start.
As well as applying for a VOG, you must deal with various requirements and rules. For example, training requirements. You must also support children in their development and work following mandatory plans. For example, a pedagogical policy plan. Do not look after more children than is permitted by law. And transport the children safely.
An overview of the most important rules:
Training and skills
To work as a childminder, you need to meet the requirements found in the Childcare Act (Wet Kinderopvang). You must also have a valid child first aid certificate. Several qualifications entitle you to work as a childminder, but they all refer to Dutch education. You can find a list here (article 10, in Dutch). If you are an EU resident, you can apply for recognition of your foreign qualification. See Professional qualifications.
You must also have a valid child first aid certificate.
You speak Dutch at your childcare centre (in Dutch). You may also speak a Dutch regional language (in Dutch), but only if your childcare centre is located in the area where people speak that regional language.
You must not speak more than 1 language unless it is necessary for the children (in Dutch). This depends on the circumstances and which language the children speak. The host parent agency must draw up a code of conduct explaining these circumstances and why it is necessary to speak another language.
Mandatory plans
You work according to the childminding agency’s pedagogical policy plan. The pedagogical policy plan describes how you deal with the children. You must follow the plan.
Since 1 July 2026, you must write your own pedagogical work plan. This describes how you will use your childcare centre's pedagogical policy plan in practice. You must comply with the same 4 basic pedagogical goals as day-care centres and out-of-school care (BSO). These goals must be incorporated by your childminding agency(ies) in their pedagogical policy plan(s).
Read how to write a pedagogical work plan (in Dutch).
You work according to the health and safety policy of the childminding agency. This describes how you protect the children in your care against risks. Such as unsafe places to play or sleep.
Number of children and safety
You may care for a maximum of 6 children per day, aged 0 to 13 years. There are additional rules for the composition of ages in your group.
Do you have children of your own at home between 0 and 8 years old? Then they are included in this number. Before 1 July 2026, this was up to 10 years old.
Since 1 July 2026, you must have a backup (in Dutch). This is an adult who can be present within 15 minutes in case of an emergency.
Are you going to transport children? You must transport children safely and responsibly. As a childminder, you are responsible for this. Read more about the rules for safely transporting children.
You must follow the Model Protocol for Reporting Domestic Violence and Child Abuse. Do you suspect that a child is being abused? Or is dealing with domestic violence? Then you should apply the protocol. It describes in 5 steps what you should do.
Has something serious happened to a child? The government wants you to report this to the GGD as soon as possible. For example, if a child needs to be hospitalised or dies in an accident. The rules and effective date are not yet finalised.
Are you going to care for children in your home? Check whether this is allowed by your municipality. Also, ensure you meet the safety requirements.
An overview of the main rules and points you need to check:
Will you be minding children in your home? Check whether your plans fit in with your municipality's environment plan. An environment plan is a document issued by the municipality. It sets out rules on what you are and are not allowed to do with your building and its surroundings. For example, it specifies whether you are allowed to run a business from home and whether there are any safety or noise requirements.
Check your plans (in Dutch) at the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket) to see whether childcare is permitted at your address, and which rules you must follow with.
If your plan fits within the environment plan, you must usually report your home business to the municipality.
If it does not fit within the plan, you can apply for an Environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning).
Do the permit check (in Dutch) at the Omgevingsloket to check which permits you need.
Read more about running a business from home.
The location where you look after children must meet certain requirements. Every year, the childminding agency will check, for example, that there is a separate sleeping area or bedroom for children younger than 18 months. Also, no smoking is allowed in your home and there must be enough functioning smoke alarms.
Check the requirements for childminding locations.
The same fire safety requirements apply if you are minding children at home as apply to all homes. You must have a smoke detector on every floor. A carbon monoxide detector is not mandatory, but it is recommended.
Together with the childminding agency, you must draw up a Risk Assessment and Evaluation (RI&E) every year. This monitors the safety and quality of childcare.
You pay income tax on the money you earn from childminding. Use the OndernemersCheck (in Dutch) to check whether the Tax Administration considers you an entrepreneur for income tax purposes. If this is the case, you can file an income tax return as an entrepreneur and you can use tax deductions and tax schemes.
Does the Tax Administration not consider you an entrepreneur for income tax purposes? Then you must include your income as a childminder in your income tax return as ‘income from other work’.
Childminding exempt from VAT
Childminding is exempt from VAT (in Dutch). This means you do not charge VAT on your services and file a VAT return. This usually means you cannot claim a refund of VAT you may have paid yourself for goods or services related to your work.
As an entrepreneur, you must keep business records and retain them for at least 7 years. Your records are the basis for your tax returns.
Discuss with the childminding agency what they need to record and keep for you. For example, details of all children registered with you, written agreements with parents, and information for childcare benefits.
Read more about record keeping in the childcare sector.
As a childminder, you should have various insurances. You need business liability insurance (AVB). Do you transport children in a car or van? If so, you also need business passenger insurance.
Ask your childminding agency or sector organisation which other insurances you need in your situation, and which insurance companies offer cover to childminders.