Step-by-step plan: Starting a childminding agency
A childminding agency helps parents find suitable care for their children. Childminders (gastouders) must register with a childminding agency before they can care for children. Read this step-by-step plan to find out what the rules are for starting a childminding agency.
A childminder 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 a number of 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.
The location of your childminding agency must 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 they are permitted at your address.
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.
Ask your municipality if there are other rules you must follow.
Home-based business
Do you want to start a childminding agency from home? you must usually report your home business to the municipality.
Also check what your tenancy agreement or mortgage contract says about running a business from home. Alternatively, contact your landlord or mortgage lender to ask what the conditions are for setting up a childminding agency in your home.
The agency’s proprietor / holder and any directors or employees must have a certificate of conduct (Verklaring omtrent het gedrag, VOG). This certificate must include:
- screening profile 84 (caring for minors)
- or screening profile 86 (employed in childcare).
Do you have a legal form with legal personality? For example, a private limited company (BV). Then you must apply for a certificate of conduct for legal entities (Verklaring omtrent het gedrag rechtspersonen, VOG RP). With the VOG RP, the organisation and the director meet the screening required for childcare. If you have a VOG RP, you no longer need to apply for a personal VOG.
You require a VOG for the registration of your childminding agency in the National Childcare Register (LRK) and to register in the Register for persons active in the childcare sector (Personenregister kinderopvang, PRK) .
When you apply for registration in the National Childcare Register (LRK) you must have a pedagogical policy plan. In this plan, you describe the pedagogical vision of the care. For example, how childminders help children in their development.
Read how to draw up a pedagogical policy plan
Anyone working or living at a place where children are cared for must register in the PRK. These persons are checked regularly. For example, for criminal offences.
Read more about registering in the PRK.
At least 10 weeks before the start of your childminding agency you must apply for registration in the National Childcare Register (LRK) with the municipal authorities. . You must also register the child minders and the childcare locations. For this, you must submit a separate application.
Registration LRK needed for childcare benefits
Parents can only receive childcare benefits if your agency is registered in the LRK
Since 1 July 2026, childminders may join no more than 2 childminding agencies.
If you start or take over a childminding agency, you will need to register with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) in the Business Register. You pay a registration fee. KVK will pass on your details to the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst). You do not have to register separately with the Tax Administration
Exempt from VAT
Your childminding agency's activities may be exempt from VAT. This means that you do not have to charge and remit VAT to the Tax Administration. Whether your business activities are exempt depends on a number of conditions (in Dutch). Among others, whether the care you provide is exempt from VAT.
The childminding locations registered to your agency must comply with the requirements. Children must be able to play and rest safely.
Check the requirements for childminding locations.
Together with the childminders, you must draw up a risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E) to monitor safety and quality at the childcare locations. The RI&E must always be up to date. If there are any changes at the childcare centre, for example, after a renovation, you must draw up a new RI&E.
Read more about drawing up an RI&E.
The owner of a childminding agency does not need specific training, but your childcare mediators must satisfy a number of qualification requirements. They must also have a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
Check the requirements for childcare agency mediators.
Recognition of your foreign qualifications
There are several qualifications that entitle you to work as a childminder, but they all refer to Dutch trainings. You can find a list (in Dutch) here (article 10). If you are an EU resident, you can apply for recognition of your foreign qualification, see Professional qualifications.
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.
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.
Does your agency represent more than 50 childminders? Then you need to have a parents’ committee. Also make regulations for the parent committee. These 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).
Read more about setting up a parents' committee.
As the owner of a childminding agency, you must 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.
Concluding mediation contracts
A childcare mediator is the link between parents and childminders. For your mediation activities, you conclude contracts:
- A mediation contract with the childminder for whom you mediate.
- A mediation contract with the parents for the care of their child(ren).
In addition, the childminder and parents conclude a contract with each other about the agreed care.