In some underprivileged communities in Groningen, all children aged six months and older can attend childcare two days a week free of charge. This is for the children of all parents in the community concerned, regardless of whether they work or not.
The initiator of this trial is Maria Jongsma, former president of the Food Bank in Groningen, who previously worked in childcare and education. Jongsma, who was rewarded this spring for her work at the food bank, said at the time that she was annoyed by the intention to provide free child care only to working parents.
Jongsma stressed that it is important for all young children to have access to daycare centers, "It is important that children grow up together and have equal opportunities from the very beginning. ”
Developmental delays. The city of Groningen agrees. The city has a long history of providing free child care for children aged 2 and older to non-working parents. At the suggestion of Jongsma, the service is now being extended to younger children in the northern urban community. PVDA MP Carine Bloemhoff: "It is specifically aimed at children who grow up in poverty, and if they are stunted from primary school, it will be difficult to catch up later. ”
Free childcare is not yet available throughout the city. "We make unequal investments for equal opportunity," the councillor said, "and we do do do something extra in northern communities with higher levels of poverty." I hope that free childcare will eventually become a basic public facility for all children in the country. Until then, the city will focus on northern neighborhoods. ”
Welfare matters. The trial, which will run until 2025, is expected to cost €3.2 million, at the expense of the Ministry of the Interior and OCW. Bloemhoff said experience has shown that parents don't always take their children to daycare when they're at home. "We have to do a lot to educate parents, especially in communities where there is not a lot of trust in them," the councillor said. ”
All cities. Maria Jongsma says she will only be satisfied if free childcare is rolled out throughout the province of Groningen.
Groningen is not the only city in the Netherlands where all children can attend a nursery free of charge.
Earlier this year, the Netherlands** postponed plans to provide free childcare for working parents. The plan was originally scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2025, but may now be postponed to January 1, 2027.
This article is compiled by the Sino-Dutch Business Daily, *Please indicate the source!