To start a childcare 

There are different types of child care you can start. For example:

  • nursery
  • host parent agency
  • out-of-school care (BSO)

Before you start, carefully review the step-by-step plan for starting a child center or the step-by-step plan for starting a guest parent agency on the Entrepreneurs' Square website.

If you want to become a guest parent, go to the government website for more information. The host parent agency you join must arrange the application for registration with the municipality. You cannot do that yourself. 

Would you like to apply directly or change a registration? Then check out 'Arrange online'. 

How does it work?

Good child care is very important. Children should feel safe and have the space to develop. This is why the central government has established quality requirements that child care organizations must adhere to.

What to do?

If you want to start a child care business, make the following arrangements:

Location

  • Once you have found a location, review the municipality's environmental plan.
  • Check which permits you need.
  • If the site is not suitable for child care according to the environmental plan, you can ask the municipality to give permission anyway.

Fire Safety

If you provide child care for more than 10 children under the age of 12, you must file a "fire-safe use notification" with the municipality. For more information see: Fire safety, notification or permit.

Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG).

  • Apply for a VOG Rechtspersonen. This allows you to prove that your company or employees in leadership positions, have not committed any criminal offenses.
  • All child care employees must hold a VOG Particulars with screening profile 84 (caring for minors) or 86 (working in child care). You can arrange this in 2 ways:
    • You prepare the application for each employee online on the Justis website. Then each employee logs in with DigiD and completes the application.
    • You give each employee an application form they can use to apply for the VOG themselves at the municipality.
  • A VOG allows you and your employees to register in the childcare persons register of DUO. Anyone who lives or works at a place where children are cared for must register in the childcare persons register. Before you apply for registration, this must be in order. 

Apply to Child Care Disputes Committee

Register your child care with the Child Care Disputes Committee. If you do not do this, you cannot register with the municipality (see next step).

Registering with Landelijk Register Kinderopvang (LRK).

Parents can look up details of nurseries in the LRK and view reports from the GGD inspection. Without registration in the LRK you cannot start your childcare.

Submit these documents as attachments to the Child Care Registration or Change form. You can also use this link to change or terminate your existing registration. 

Educational policy officer

Childcare organizations must work with a pedagogical policy officer starting in 2019. From now on, a pedagogical policy officer will coach the pedagogical staff members in their daily work. Every pedagogical staff member will be coached annually. In addition, the pedagogical policy officer deals with the development of pedagogical policy.

Arrange online

Register, change or discontinue child care

Use the form:

Child care registration or change

Ask a question

Do you have a question about registration, modification or discontinuation? Or do you have a question related to this? If so, please use the form:

Question about child care

How long will it take?
  • The Municipal Health Service (GGD) checks to see if your child care center meets all requirements.
  • No later than 10 weeks after your application to register your childcare with the LRK, you will receive the decision from the municipality.
Questions?

Do you have a question about registration or modification? Or do you have a question related to this? If so, please use the form: 

Question about child care

We will do our best to answer your question as soon as possible.