J. Engel-Ritmeester

At Gastouderburo Zowiezo, we believe personal attention and flexibility matter. We match parents with childminders (gastouders) and take care of all the administration and financial processing. Parents are assigned their own placement coordinator who guides them in finding a suitable childminder and remains available for questions and support.

We arrange the childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag) application with the Dutch Tax Authority, pay the childminders, and advance the benefit. We also offer support from a pedagogue for parenting questions and help arrange emergency childcare when needed.

Gastouderburo Zowiezo is based in Wognum (municipality of Medemblik) and has an extensive network of childminders (gastouders) throughout North Holland. Our placement coordinators are active in the region and match parents with childminders in various locations. The agency is supervised by GGD Hollands Noorden.

Gastouderburo Zowiezo is registered in the National Childcare Register (Landelijk Register Kinderopvang) under number 150397525 and is supervised by GGD Hollands Noorden. We operate in accordance with the Childcare Act (Wet Kinderopvang) and maintain a pedagogical policy plan that is regularly evaluated and updated.

All childminders (gastouders) meet legal requirements: MBO-2 diploma (or equivalent), Paediatric First Aid, Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag), and registration in the LRK. They complete annual refresher training in pedagogical policy, first aid, and the Child Abuse Reporting Code (Meldcode Kindermishandeling).

We have a parent committee with advisory rights on our policy and a complaints procedure for handling any concerns. Our inspection reports are publicly available.

At Berend Botje Gastouderbureau, we believe it's important that you and your childminder (gastouder) are a good match. Our placement staff know all childminders personally and also visit your home for an intake interview. We offer two packages: the comfort package where we arrange everything from finding a childminder to the childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag), and the basic package where you find a childminder yourself. We provide annual risk assessments, pedagogical advice, collective insurance, and access to our online portal where you can view invoices, childcare hours, and policy documents.

Berend Botje Gastouderbureau is active in Noord-Holland and West-Friesland. We have childminders in various places in the region, including Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Medemblik, Andijk, and many other villages and towns. Our placement staff are active regionally and know the childminder database in their area personally. We strive to find every parent a childminder located close to home or work.

Berend Botje Gastouderbureau meets all legal requirements and is registered in the National Childcare Register (Landelijk Register Kinderopvang). We set higher standards for our childminders than the Childcare Act prescribes, including mandatory basic training, a first aid certificate for children, and Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) declarations. We carry out annual risk assessments at childminders' locations and have taken out collective liability and accident insurance. Our GGD inspection reports are publicly accessible, and we work with a recognised reporting code for domestic violence and child abuse.