Following recent incidents in childcare settings across the Netherlands, every parent's priority list has one item sitting even higher than before: finding safe childcare. But what does that actually mean in practice? A warm welcome and a nicely decorated space tell you something — but not everything. To properly assess the quality of a daycare center (kinderdagverblijf/KDV) or after-school care (BSO), you need more to go on. These five steps will show you what to really look for.
Step 1: Read the Municipal Health Service inspection report before your tour
Most parents schedule a tour first and look up additional information afterwards. Do it the other way around. The Municipal Health Service (GGD) inspection report for any daycare center or after-school care setting is publicly available and free to access via the LRK and on Kiddie. If you've already read the report before visiting the location, you can ask targeted questions during the tour based on what you've found.
What does a childcare inspection report contain?
A GGD inspection report describes whether a location meets the legal requirements for safety, health, educational environment, and staffing. The GGD inspects annually and assesses, among other things, whether the two-person rule (vier-ogenprincipe) is being followed, whether all staff hold a valid certificate of conduct (VOG), whether staff are registered in the Childcare Personnel Register (Personenregister Kinderopvang), and whether the staff-to-child ratio (beroepskracht-kindratio/BKR) is being met. The report concludes with a verdict: does the location meet all requirements, or have shortcomings been identified?
What are red flags in a GGD report?
Not every violation carries the same weight. A single administrative shortcoming that was immediately corrected is very different from recurring violations related to safety or staffing. Pay particular attention to repeated violations across multiple inspection years, an enforcement recommendation to the municipality, and violations involving the two-person rule or the staff-to-child ratio. These last two directly affect the safety of children in the group. If you see them coming up repeatedly, that's a signal to ask more questions — or to keep looking. You can find more information about how to read a GGD report here.
Step 2: Assess childcare safety on-site
A tour isn't just a box to tick — it's an opportunity to see with your own eyes how a location actually operates. Pay attention to what happens when you walk in: who greets you, who has access to the rooms, and how are visitors who aren't known to the staff handled? This tells you a lot about how seriously the location takes access control.
Also look at the physical space. Are electrical outlets covered, are cleaning products stored out of children's reach, and is the outdoor play area fenced off? By law, a minimum indoor play space of 3.5 m² per child is required. Don't hesitate to ask to see all the rooms, including the sleeping area if it's a daycare center. A location with nothing to hide will show you everything without hesitation. Also ask how the location implements the two-person rule (vier-ogenprincipe): this means that a staff member is never alone with a child in a closed room without a second person being able to see or hear what is happening.
Step 3: Ask targeted questions about staff and the staff-to-child ratio
The people working with your child's group largely determine the quality of care. Ask how many permanent staff members work with your child's group and how the location handles absences due to illness or leave. Frequent changes in familiar faces can be hard on young children — especially babies and toddlers who are building attachments.
The staff-to-child ratio (beroepskracht-kindratio/BKR) sets the maximum number of children per staff member in a group. For babies under one year, the ratio is 1 to 3; for older children, this increases. Ask how the location manages the ratio during busy periods, such as drop-off and pick-up times, and whether substitute staff are used. Substitute staff are permitted, but they must also meet all legal requirements — including a valid certificate of conduct (VOG) and registration in the Childcare Personnel Register.
Step 4: Look for reviews from other parents
Reviews from other parents don't replace a GGD report or a tour, but they do add an important layer to the picture. Parents write about things that don't appear in inspection reports: how communication works through the parent app, how staff respond when something goes wrong, whether the end-of-day handover is meaningful, and how complaints are handled.
Read reviews critically. One negative review about parking is very different from multiple parents raising concerns about poor communication or high staff turnover. Look for patterns: if the same issue is mentioned by several parents, there's a good chance it's a structural problem. If there are no reviews at all, that's also worth noting — in that case, ask the location whether you can be put in touch with current parents.
Step 5: Compare multiple locations side by side
After one tour, you don't know all that much. After three, you know a great deal more. Visit at least two or three locations before making a decision, even if the first one made a strong impression. It's only through comparison that you discover what truly matters to you: one parent may place great value on a large outdoor play area, while another prioritises a small, consistent group or a specific educational philosophy.
Make it easier on yourself by asking the same questions at each location and jotting down your observations. Then compare the GGD reports, your tour notes, and the reviews side by side. That way, your decision is based on solid information — not just gut feeling.
On Kiddie.nl, you can compare daycare centers and after-school care locations in your area, view GGD reports, and evaluate locations on the criteria that matter most to you. Everything you need, all in one place — before you even book your first tour.