How to read the Municipal Health Service inspection report for your daycare center

Every daycare center (kinderdagverblijf/KDV), after-school care (BSO) provider, and childminder agency (gastouderbureau) in the Netherlands is inspected annually by the Municipal Health Service (GGD). The inspector usually visits unannounced and assesses whether the childcare provider complies with the Childcare Act. The visit results in an inspection report, which is publicly available. This is useful, as it allows you to check how your current or prospective childcare provider is performing. But if you open one of these reports for the first time, it can quickly feel overwhelming. What do all those terms mean? And when should you actually be concerned?

In this article, we walk you through how to read a Municipal Health Service (GGD) inspection report step by step — what sections it contains, and how to tell the difference between a minor administrative issue and a serious violation.

Where can you find the inspection report?

Inspection reports are available in two places. First, in the National Childcare Register (Landelijk Register Kinderopvang/LRK), the official database of all registered childcare locations in the Netherlands. You can search by name or postcode and find inspection reports for each location. In addition, every childcare provider is required to publish the report on their own website or make it available for viewing at a visible spot on the premises.

The LRK also includes a brief summary for each location called 'In-één-oogopslag' (At a Glance). This gives you a quick first impression, but for the full picture you'll want to read the report itself.

On Kiddie, you'll find a clear summary of the most recent GGD report for each location, with positives, areas for improvement, and violations all laid out in one place. You can also set up alerts so you're automatically notified whenever a new inspection report is added for your child's childcare provider.

What does the GGD inspect?

An inspection report is structured around six domains. Not every domain is assessed at every inspection — the GGD uses risk-based supervision. This means that locations with a low-risk profile receive less extensive inspections than those that have previously raised concerns. The six domains are:

1. Registration, changes, and administration — Is the registration in the LRK correct? Is the administration in order? This domain is primarily reviewed when a new location starts up.
2. Pedagogical climate — How do staff interact with the children? Are they working in line with the pedagogical policy plan? The inspector observes day-to-day practice and assesses whether children feel safe and have the space to develop.
3. Staff and groups — Are there enough staff members for the number of children (the staff-to-child ratio)? Do staff hold the required qualifications? Does everyone have a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag/VOG)?
4. Safety and health — Is there an up-to-date safety and health policy? Is someone present with a pediatric first aid certificate? Is there a child abuse reporting protocol (meldcode kindermishandeling)? The inspector also checks whether policies are being followed in practice.
5. Premises — Is there sufficient indoor and outdoor play space? Are the spaces set up safely for the age of the children?
6. Parental rights — Are parents kept well informed? Is there a parent committee? Does the provider have a complaints procedure?

What is a violation?

A violation means that the childcare provider does not meet one or more legal requirements. But not all violations carry the same weight. To make sense of what you're reading, it helps to draw a distinction.

Violations that are less serious

Some violations sound more alarming than they actually are. Examples include:

• The pedagogical policy plan is missing a specific section — for example, on the settling-in process or the transition to primary school
• The safety policy hasn't been updated recently, even though day-to-day practice is fine
• The parent committee hasn't been established yet, or hasn't yet been consulted on a policy change
• A new staff member's Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) has just expired and needs to be renewed
• Last year's inspection report isn't displayed in the right place on the premises

These are administrative or procedural shortcomings. They matter — rules exist for a reason — but they usually say little about what actually happens in day-to-day practice. This type of violation is often resolved quickly through a remediation offer (more on that shortly).

Violations to take seriously

There are also violations that directly affect the safety and wellbeing of children. These are the ones to watch out for:

• Too few staff in the group — If the staff-to-child ratio wasn't met, it means there wasn't enough supervision at that moment. This cannot be corrected after the fact, and therefore does not qualify for a remediation offer.
• Shortcomings in pedagogical practice — The inspector observes how staff interact with children. If children are not receiving adequate attention or support, or if their emotional safety is not being ensured, that is a serious concern.
• Safety issues in practice — This includes unsafe situations in the group room, sleeping area, or outdoor space; insufficient supervision during higher-risk activities; or the absence of someone with a pediatric first aid certificate.
• Missing Certificates of Good Conduct (VOGs) or registration in the Childcare Personnel Register — Everyone who works or lives at a location where children are cared for must be registered in the Personenregister Kinderopvang. This register is used for ongoing screening of staff. If this is not in order, it is a direct safety issue.
• Repeated violations (recidivism) — Does the same violation keep appearing in consecutive reports? That's a pattern — and an important signal that the provider is consistently struggling to meet the requirements.

What is a remediation offer?

When a violation is found, the inspector may issue a remediation offer. This gives the childcare provider the opportunity to correct the violation within four weeks, before the final report is drawn up. In the report, you'll see that a violation was found but has since been resolved.

A remediation offer is typically used for violations that can be fixed quickly — such as an incomplete policy plan or a missing registration. It is not used for violations that cannot be undone, such as a situation where there were too few staff in the group. It is also not offered in cases of recidivism — where the same violation has been identified before.

If a report shows that a remediation offer was made and the violation was resolved, that is generally a reassuring sign. It shows that the provider was both willing and able to act quickly.

What is an enforcement recommendation?

If a violation cannot be resolved through a remediation offer — or if it is too serious for one — the GGD advises the municipality to take enforcement action. The GGD provides the recommendation; it is then up to the municipality to decide what happens next.

The municipality has several options, in increasing order of severity:

• A warning or formal instruction
• A compliance order with penalty (the provider must correct the violation or face a fine)
• An administrative fine
• In extreme cases: closure of the location or removal from the LRK

An enforcement recommendation in a report doesn't necessarily mean something is seriously wrong. Sometimes it's a formal step for a violation that has already been resolved, but which the municipality still needs to be informed about. However, if you see multiple enforcement recommendations across consecutive reports, that is a reason to read more carefully.

What does 'rejected' mean?

A rejected report means the GGD has determined that, at the time of inspection, the childcare being provided did not meet the standard of responsible care. That sounds serious — and it is. But it doesn't automatically mean the location will be closed. An improvement process may be put in place instead. It is, however, a clear signal that significant shortcomings have been identified.

How to read a report in practice

You don't need to read every report from cover to cover. This approach will help you get to the key points quickly:

1. Start with the summary or overall assessment — This gives you a high-level overview of what the inspector found. You'll immediately see whether any violations were identified and whether an enforcement recommendation was made.
2. Check which domains were assessed — Not every domain is always included. Check which ones were reviewed and whether any violations were found within them.
3. Pay attention to the type of violation — Is it an administrative issue or does it relate to pedagogical practice? Is safety at stake?
4. Check whether a remediation offer was made — And if so, whether the violation was actually resolved.
5. Compare with previous reports — A single violation isn't necessarily cause for concern. But if the same violation keeps coming back, that tells you something important.

Other things to look out for

Beyond the report itself, there are a few more things you can do as a parent:

• Ask the provider for clarification — A good daycare center will be open about its inspection report and happy to explain what was found and what steps were taken in response.
• Read the provider's response — At the end of the report, you'll sometimes find a formal response (zienswijze) from the childcare provider. This is their reaction to the inspector's findings, and it gives you a sense of how the provider handles feedback.

Keep it in perspective

A violation in a report is not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to read carefully. Pay attention to the type of violation, whether it has been resolved, and whether you notice a pattern. And if you're unsure: just ask the provider. Most daycare centers, childminders, and after-school care providers work hard to offer quality care and are open to questions from parents.