The Kinderopvangraad has raised concerns about the quality and content of after-school care (BSO) in the Netherlands. According to the council, the current after-school care offering does not always adequately meet children's needs. This was reported by Kinderopvangtotaal.
What is the Kinderopvangraad?
The Kinderopvangraad is an independent advisory body that represents the interests of parents, children, and staff in the childcare sector. The council advises the government and the sector on policy and quality in childcare. When the Kinderopvangraad raises concerns about the quality of after-school care provision, those concerns carry real weight within the industry.
What is wrong with the current after-school care offering?
After-school care (BSO) is designed for primary school-aged children and provides care before and after school, as well as during school holidays. Children in this age group — roughly between four and twelve years old — have specific needs when it comes to play, social development, and winding down after a school day.
According to the Kinderopvangraad, these needs are not always sufficiently addressed in practice. Known issues within the sector include:
- Too little room for free play and children's own initiative
- Insufficient tailoring to the age and developmental stage of individual children
- Limited opportunities for outdoor play or creative activities
- High workloads for childcare workers, which reduces the attention available for each child
What does this mean for parents?
For parents who use after-school care for their child, this is an important signal. For many families, after-school care is an essential bridge between the school day and a parent's return home. It therefore matters that children feel comfortable there and that the care supports their development — rather than simply serving as a waiting room until the end of the working day.
When choosing an after-school care location, parents can look at how the setting involves children in decisions, what activities are on offer, and whether there is a healthy balance between structured and free time. The publicly available Municipal Health Service (GGD) inspection report for a given location can be a useful resource. That said, parents are also encouraged to look critically for themselves and ask questions. Practical considerations such as location and price need not be the only factors when choosing an after-school care provider.
The Kinderopvangraad's call to action underlines that the sector still has work to do to bring after-school care more in line with what children need at this stage of their lives. It is now up to providers, municipalities, and the national government to act on this.