Core and basic childcare group

In the Netherlands, childcare is provided in childcare centres and out-of-school care facilities. The children are organised into either core childcare groups (at childcare centres or dagopvang) or basic childcare groups (at out-of-school facilities of buitenschoolse opvang). The size of a group depends on the age range.

Core childcare group

Core childcare groups are fixed groups, each with its own group space. During the week, a child will not use more than two different group spaces. Children can leave the core childcare group to take part in activities. When this happens the rule regarding the maximum size of the core childcare group does not apply.

The size of the core childcare group depends on the age of the children being supervised. The older the children, the bigger the core group. The size of the core group is laid down in the Quality of Childcare and Playground Facilities Regulation (Regeling kwaliteit kinderopvang en peuterspeelzalen, in Dutch).

The professional childcarer-child ratio is based on the size of the core group.

Basic childcare group

Basic childcare groups at out-of-school facilitiesare not linked to a particular group space. The children use various spaces.

The size of the basic childcare group depends on the age of the children being supervised. The older the children, the bigger the basic group. The maximum size of the basic group is laid down in the Quality of Childcare and Playground Facilities Regulation (Regeling kwaliteit kinderopvang en peuterspeelzalen, in Dutch).

Basic quality of childcare

Rules on the basic quality to which child care has to comply, are laid down in the Quality of Childcare and Playground Facilities Decree (Besluit kwaliteit kinderopvang en peuterspeelzalen).