Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) confirms that investing in young children is essential for their later development. The Sector Association for Social Childcare (BMK) places the findings in the context of Dutch practice.
OECD research and early childhood development
The OECD, an international organisation with 38 member states including the Netherlands, regularly conducts research into education, economics and social policy. Their analyses consistently show that the first years of life are crucial for children's cognitive, social and emotional development. Investments during this period – think high-quality childcare, preschool education and family support – yield significant social returns in the long term.
The BMK, which brought the research to attention, represents childcare organisations with a social mission. These organisations often specifically target vulnerable families and children who need extra support.
Relevance for the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, approximately 80% of toddlers and preschoolers attend childcare or preschool education (voorschoolse educatie/VVE). The country has a pluralistic system with different types of care:
- Center-based childcare: commercial and non-commercial daycare centers (kinderdagverblijf/KDV)
- Childminder/host parent care (gastouderopvang): care at a childminder's home
- Peuterspeelzalen and preschool education: focused on development and school preparation
- After-school care (BSO): care for school-age children
The Childcare and Preschool Quality Requirements Act (Wet KKP) sets requirements for, among other things, the number of childcare workers per child, their qualification levels and pedagogical policy. Nevertheless, quality continues to vary between organisations, and there is tension between affordability for parents and investment in quality.
The BMK emphasises that the OECD research offers policymakers starting points to continue investing in the quality of childcare, particularly for children from families who struggle to keep up in society.