Gastouderbureau VoorElkaar

Strengths

• Pedagogical policy and pedagogical practice meet the requirements
• Staff hold valid declarations of conduct (VOG) and are registered in the childcare persons register
• Parental rights: information about cost distribution is clearly recorded in written agreements
• Quality criteria for the childminder agency are in place
• Administration is complete and digitally organised via PortaBase
• At 16 of the 18 inspected childminders, the risk assessment was carried out on time

Shortcomings

• Accessibility of the childminder agency for childminders during opening hours needs to be improved
• Support for childminders in drawing up the pedagogical work plan must be organised more proactively and in a more timely manner
• Communication to childminders about meeting schedules and expectations needs to be clearer

Violations

• Cooperation and compliance: The childminder agency provided insufficient cooperation to the supervisory authority and municipality by failing to respond or responding late to multiple requests between October 2025 and May 2026, thereby hindering effective supervision and delaying investigations
• Staffing ratio per childminder: The holders are not sufficiently accessible for childminders during opening hours, meaning it is not guaranteed that at least 16 hours of guidance and mediation per childminder is provided annually
• Risk assessment for safety and health: At 2 of the 18 inspected childminders, the risk assessment was not carried out within 12 months
• Childminder agency administration: Documents are not provided to supervisory authorities in a timely manner upon request, thereby hindering effective supervision (examples: VOG matter and first aid certificate not sent in time)

Summary

The annual inspection of childminder agency (gastouderbureau) VoorElkaar in Noordhorn, conducted by Municipal Health Service (GGD) Groningen, presents a mixed picture. The agency, run by two holders with 22 affiliated childminders, meets legal requirements on several points, but has serious shortcomings in the areas of cooperation, accessibility and administration. The supervisory authority found that the agency failed to respond or responded late to requests on multiple occasions, which hindered effective supervision. The mandatory guidance of childminders is also not guaranteed due to limited accessibility, and risk assessments were not carried out on time at two childminders. The agency has indicated it wishes to handle these matters more carefully.