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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Childcare ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Formal childcare ………………………………………………………………………………………………4

Outline of the formal childcare landscape ………………………………………………………………………… 7

TWO TYPES OF FORMAL CHILDCARE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8

CHILDCARE FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9

CHILDCARE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL (OUT-OF-SCHOOL-CARE) ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 3

CHILDCARE

Childcare is a collective term indicating the different types of care available for babies and toddlers

or during out-of-school hours and school holidays, for children attending nursery or primary school…

Mostly these children need to be in childcare because the parents have to go to work… However, there

may also be other reasons, for instance to give parents time to follow a training course…

The term ‘childcare’ encompasses both the formal (childcare which is subject to legislation, provided

by professionals and paid for by parents) and informal types (i…e… childcare which is not subject to

legislation and is provided by grandparents/neighbours/family/friends, etc… Parents usually do not pay

for this informal childcare)…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 4

In Flanders, formal childcare falls within the

responsibility of the Flemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health and Family… Kind

en Gezin (Child and Family) is an agency of

the Flemish Government responsible for

implementing the policy laid down by the

Flemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health and

Family with regard to formal childcare…

Kind en Gezin itself does not organise childcare

and does not have any childcare settings of its

own… However, it carries out a number of duties

with regard to childcare settings and with

respect to families with young children… These

duties are as follows:

FORMAL CHILDCARE

1… Checking compliance with the requirements for starting a quality childcare setting (and thus for

obtaining a licence, an accreditation or a certificate), in terms of safety and hygiene, as well as

regards to the number and training of the employees…

2… Granting a licence, an accreditation or a certificate and registering the childcare initiative…

3… Monitoring, supporting and enforcing the activities of the setting and ensuring the payment of

subsidies to childcare providers…

4… Ensuring a balanced distribution of the budget released by the Flemish Government for the

creation of new places and for the retention of existing places over the different regions/

municipalities on the basis of objective parameters…

5… Asking local authorities for advice regarding the development of childcare within the framework

of the creation of new places, as well as supporting them in their local director’s role in childcare…

6… Giving advice in view of the preparation of the policy laid down by the Minister and implementing

this policy…

7… Monitoring and promoting the quality of formal childcare and advising the Flemish Government

on the qualifications and competences for people working in formal childcare…

8… Offering families information about childcare…

Kind en Gezin carries out these duties both for the care of the littlest ones (care for babies and

toddlers aged 0 until they go to nursery school1) and for the care of school children from nursery

and primary school (2…5 to 3 years until 12 years) during out-of-school hours and school holidays

(out-of-school care)…

1 In Flanders, children can go to nursery school from the age of 2…5 years……

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 5

With formal childcare the Flemish Government

seeks to provide a service to families:

1… that has an economic, pedagogical and social function:

• ‘Economic’ because childcare allows parents to go to work and earn an income… Formal

childcare itself also employs a large number of people…

• ‘Pedagogical’ because a good childcare setting not only nurses young children and makes

them feel safe, but also stimulates children in their physical and psychological development…

Children meet other people there and learn to deal respectfully with each other from a

young age onwards…

• ‘Social’ because childcare can counter the exclusion of disadvantaged groups and help

promote their integration… The social function of childcare first and foremost implies fighting

exclusion mechanisms and increasing accessibility for families which currently have difficulty

in finding their way to childcare due to all kinds of thresholds… However, its social function

encompasses more than just enhancing accessibility for disadvantaged groups and tackling

obstacles… Accessible childcare allows parents to follow training, to apply for jobs to find

work, etc…;

2… which is qualitative, available, affordable and directly accessible for every child without any

distinctions, in addition to the upbringing of the child within his family, with respect for the

child’s capacities, his home environment and the family’s freedom of choice;

3… which can be a meeting place for all parents, with respect for diversity between parents and

between children… In a childcare setting parents can ask all kinds of questions and meet other

parents as well…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 6

As long as the number of places is insufficient, the Flemish Government decides, depending on

the accessibility, which groups are given priority to use the provided places for which the provider

receives a subsidy2… Formal childcare does not combat disadvantage, but makes a difference through

progressive universalism… This means that additional attention is devoted to vulnerable families

within a universal offer… It implies, among other things, that formal childcare oriented towards

vulnerable families is supported in terms of content and finances, and that the development of

formal childcare for children with special care needs is stimulated…

2 Only applies to formal childcare for babies and toddlers…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 7

OUTLINE OF THE FORMAL CHILDCARE LANDSCAPE (I…E… CHILDCARE WHICH IS PROVIDED BY PROFESSIONALS AGAINST PAYMENT3)

Apart from centre-based and family-based childcare the Flemish Parliament Act on Childcare for

Babies and Toddlers also provides for a third type of formal childcare for babies and toddlers, namely

home-based care or childcare which is only provided by professionals against payment at the family home of the child to be cared for… How this type of care is to be put in practice is yet to be

determined…

Parents making use of formal childcare settings that have a licence, a certificate or an accreditation

are entitled to tax reduction (up to a certain level) for the expenditure they incur for the care of their

children until the age of 124…

Childcare forType of childcare

Family-based childcare Centre-based childcare

Babies and toddlers (either together with

school children or not)

Licenced Licenced

School children from nursery and primary

school (out-of-school care)

- Merely registered

- With a certificate

(licenced1)

- Merely registered

- with an accreditation

- With a certificate2

(licenced3)

1 Childcare professionals in licenced family-based childcare settings which explicitly choose to only provide care for school children…2 During the entire year or only during holiday periods…3 Childcare professionals in family-based childcare who work together in a setting that has a licence for more than 8 childcare places…

3 This does not include informal childcare, i…e… care provided by grandparents, friends, family, au pairs, babysitters, etc…

4 This fiscal measure is a competence of the federal government and not of the Flemish Government…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 8

Family-based childcare5:

• Is usually provided by 1 childcare professional…

• Usually takes place at the childcare professional’s own home, but the care can also be

provided in another location, like a school building, for instance…

• Family-based childcare is aimed at providing care to 4 children on average… This number may

increase at peak moments… The number is specified in the licence and can never be higher

than 86…

• Although this care is in principle provided by 1 childcare professional, there is a possibility

that two childcare professionals will together take care of the children… However, if two

childcare professionals together take care of more than 8 children in 1 setting, this is

referred to as cooperating childcare professionals and they fall within the category of

“centre-based childcare”…

Centre-based childcare7:

• Is a larger childcare setting with several childcare professionals…

• Usually takes place in a building or space which is specifically intended for childcare…

• In centtre-based childcare settings at least 9 children are present at the same time… The

children are cared for in a group of maximum 18 children…

• The maximum number of children allowed per childcare professional in a centre-based

childcare setting is 8, when only 1 childcare professional is present… As soon as another

childcare professional is present, 9 children at the most can be cared for by each childcare

professional8…

TWO TYPES OF FORMAL CHILDCARE

5 Formally known as “family day carer”…6 This is a maximum figure and not a target figure…7 Formally known as “crèche”…8 These are maximum figures and not target figures…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 9

CHILDCARE FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS On 1 April 2014, the new Flemish Parliament Act on Childcare for Babies and Toddlers entered

into effect in Flanders… This Flemish Parliament Act abrogates all the previously applicable rules and

harmonises all the different rules for and of the various types of funding of the formerly independant

and accredited and subsidised childcare… The transition from the former situation (before the

introduction of the Flemish Parliament Act) to the new situation (after implementation of the Flemish

Parliament Act) will not be fully completed until 2020…

In concrete terms, a licence is required from 1 April 2014 onwards for any childcare for babies and

toddlers which is provided by professionals against payment… Before this obligation (and thus before

the Flemish Parliament Act was introduced) anyone could set up a childcare setting for babies and

toddlers, without having to meet any quality requirements… It sufficed to report the childcare setting

administratively to Kind en Gezin… This is no longer possible since 1 April 2014… Consequently, all

childcare settings for babies and toddlers which do not have a licence from then onwards have to

close down…

Apart from licenced childcare for babies and toddlers, there can only be informal childcare for babies

and toddlers (i…e… non-professional childcare provided by grandparents, friends, family, etc…)…

Licenced family-based childcare of centre-based childcare settings for babies and toddlers can also

opt to receive school children from nursery and primary school, in addition to babies and toddlers,

provided the licence requirements are complied with…

As soon as a setting obtains a licence, Kind en Gezin checks regularly whether the legal requirements

are still being met… To that end, Kind en Gezin uses the findings of the Flemish Care Inspectorate

Agency9 which carries out on-site inspections…

9 The Flemish Care Inspectorate Agency is a separate agency of the Flemish Government… It inspects the settings (like childcare settings) which are accredited, certified, licenced or subsidised by the Department or by the other agencies of the Welfare, Public Health and Family policy area… In other words, it is not Kind en Gezin which performs on-site inspections of childcare settings…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 10

Obtaining a licence is subject to specific requirements… These requirements are based on the

specificity of the age group of babies and toddlers and pertain, among other things, to infrastructure,

hygiene, safety, quality and qualifications of the staff…

The subsidy scheme for the formal care of babies and toddlers is a system with levels and starts

from Level 0… Each level implies additional tasks/conditions… The higher the level the more subsidies

one may receive, but also the more conditions one must fulfil…

Level 3

Level 2Plus

subsidy

Level 1Income related fee

subsidy Income related fee

subsidy

Level 0 Basic subsidy Basic subsidy Basic subsidy

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 11

Licenced childcare settings for babies and toddlers which do not receive any subsidies10 (Level 0) or

only receive a basic subsidy (Level 1) are free to determine the fee which families have to pay for

the care of their baby or toddler… Here , families pay a fee which is not related to their income…

In childcare settings which receive an income related fee subsidy (Level 2) or a plus subsidy

(Level 3) on top of the basic subsidy, families can pay an income11 related fee for the care of their

baby or toddler… Childcare settings that receive an income related fee subsidy or a plus subsidy are

obliged to observe a number of priority rules…

• Childcare settings which receive an income related fee subsidy (Level 2): granting absolute

priority to children from families where childcare is absolutely necessary in the context of

a work situation (retaining work, looking for work or following vocational training to that

end), as well as to children from single-parent families and low-income families and to foster

children…

• Childcare settings which receive a plus subsidy (Level 3): realising a proactive admissions

policy to give a childcare place to vulnerable families, aligning the activities with vulnerable

families and building and disseminating expertise on how to deal with vulnerable families in

a respectful manner… Childcare settings at level 3 must also make efforts to recruit workers

from vulnerable groups…

The revenues from the financial contributions of the families are offset against the income related

fee subsidy… As a result, the care for children from low-income families does not have any negative

financial consequences for the settings’ operating budget…

In each level, additional subsidies can be granted under certain conditions, more specifically for

inclusive childcare for children with special needs or for flexible childcare…

10 Because they do not meet the subsidy requirements or because no funds are available to grant subsidies…

11 In 2014: minimum EUR 1…56/day and maximum EUR 27…71/day…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 12

Definition: The care for children who attend nursery or primary school, either full-time or part-time,

which is provided by professionals against payment during out-of-school hours or school holidays…

The activities of youth work and sport services do not fall within the scope of this definition…

Each family-based and centre-based childcare setting for school children must apply for a licence12, an accreditation or a certificate with Kind en Gezin… Within this framework licenced group-based or

family-based childcare settings can opt to care for school children alone or for a combination of child

care of babies, toddlers and school children… Centre-based childcare settings that have an accreditation

or a certificate can only receive school children…

As soon as a setting obtains a licence, an accreditation or a certification, it is regularly evaluated by

Kind en Gezin whether the legal requirements are still being met… To that end, Kind en Gezin uses the

findings of the Flemish Care Inspectorate Agency which carries out on-site inspections…

Obtaining a licence, an accreditation or a certificate is subject to specific requirements… Obtaining an

accreditation is subject to specific requirements which are in line with the licence requirements (see

earlier) but the only difference is that the requirements to obtain an accreditation are based on the

specificity of the age group of school children… They pertain, among other things, to infrastructure,

hygiene, safety, quality and the qualifications of the staff… The specific requirements for obtaining a

certificate are also based on the specificity of the age group of school children and are also related

to infrastructure, hygiene and safety… However, relatively speaking, the qualification requirements for

the staff are minimal…

CHILDCARE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM

NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL

(OUT-OF-SCHOOL-CARE)

12 Usually, childcare settings that already took care of school children before the implementation of the new Flemish Parliament Act on Childcare for Babies and Toddlers

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 13

Apart from the settings with a licence, an accreditation or a certificate for school children, there is

also informal care for school children (this is non-professional care provided by grandparents, friends,

family, etc…) and the merely registered care… Not every professional who, against payment, provides

out-of-school care applies for a licence, an accreditation or a certificate with Kind en Gezin… In this

case they only meet the registration obligation and report administratively to Kind en Gezin13… For

these merely registered initiatives no further legal requirements are imposed14… As a result, Kind

en Gezin does not have these settings inspected, unless a complaint is made or something serious

happens… In this case, the Flemish Care Inspectorate Agency examines under what conditions the

children are cared for and whether this care situation is acceptable…

From 2015 onwards, preparations are being made to also develop a new Flemish Parliament Act for

childcare for school children attending nursery or primary school…

The subsidy scheme for formal childcare of school children is not a system with levels… If a

childcare setting wants to obtain a subsidy, it must meet specific conditions… These requirements

differ by type of childcare setting and type of subsidy… Out-of-school care is also financed by bodies

other than Kind en Gezin…

13 Informal care is exempted from this registration obligation…14 This concerns, for instance, childcare provided within the school before or after school hours…

2015 - Childcare in Flanders at a glance 14

In general, out-of-school care settings are free to decide the fee which families must pay for the care

of their school child15 and can freely use the revenues from the families’ financial contributions… An

exception to this are the settings which already cared for school children before the implementation

of the Flemish Parliament Act (possibly together with babies and toddlers) and which already asked

the families to pay an income-related contribution for this… In this type of childcare setting the

revenues from the families’ financial contributions are also offset against the subsidy…

For a number of specific assignments additional subsidies can be allocated… However, not every

childcare setting qualifies for these additional subsidies… Specific requirements are to be met in order

to qualify… Examples of possible additional subsidies are subsidies for inclusive care for school children

who have special needs or subsidies for flexible care or occasional care…

15 The minimum and maximum rates have been laid down by law, specifically for group-based childcare with an accreditation and a subsidy for initiatives for out-of-school care…