In Baarn, a new preschool/toddler care (peuteropvang) and after-school care (BSO) have recently opened. Peuteropvang Kroontjes and BSO Oranje Kids have become part of KWS Kinderopvang, an organization that operates multiple locations in the region. The opening addresses a need for childcare places for toddlers and school-age children in the municipality.
Expansion of KWS Kinderopvang
KWS Kinderopvang is active in several municipalities in the Gooi region and surrounding areas. With the addition of Peuteropvang Kroontjes and BSO Oranje Kids, the organization strengthens its position in Baarn. Preschool/toddler care focuses on children aged 2 to 4 and prepares them for primary school, while the BSO provides care for school-age children outside school hours.
The expansion fits a broader trend in which childcare organizations in the Netherlands are growing by opening new locations or taking over existing facilities. This is partly due to increasing demand for childcare, which has risen in recent years due to factors including the expansion of the childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag) and the growing labor participation of parents.
What does this mean for parents?
For parents in Baarn and the surrounding area, the opening of Peuteropvang Kroontjes and BSO Oranje Kids means more choice in childcare. This can be important when finding a suitable place, especially given the national shortage in the childcare market that leads to waiting lists in many regions.
Parents who want to use the new facilities can contact KWS Kinderopvang for more information about:
- The pedagogical vision and working methods of the new locations
- Available care days and hours
- Rates and possibilities for childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag)
- Registration procedure and any waiting lists
The childcare benefit (kinderopvangtoeslag), which depends on income and the number of care hours, makes preschool/toddler care and BSO financially accessible for many families. For preschool/toddler care, municipalities often also reimburse part of the costs through the Youth Care Act (Wet op de Jeugdzorg), meaning parents sometimes only pay a personal contribution.
The opening of new locations may also signal that the municipality of Baarn is actively working towards sufficient childcare capacity, in line with the statutory duty of municipalities to help parents find suitable care.