Education and Childcare

Education is compulsory for everyone living in the Netherlands. Also children with a non-Dutch nationality, asylum seekers who have reached the age to attend school and children who reside illegally in the Netherlands are therefore required to attend school. You will have to enroll your child in a school and ensure that your child is going to school when he or she is five years old. Oegstgeest has several primary, secondary and special needs schools. If you have any questions about applying for (extended) leave, truancy, suspension and admission to school please contact the Expat Centre.

Out-of-school care

The out-of-school care (BSO) is for children aged 4 to 12 years attending elementary school. The children will be accommodated before and after school, and also during the lunch break. This is called pre-, in-between, and post-school care. The BSO is usually associated with one or more elementary schools. For more information, please contact your child(ren)'s school.

Childcare and playgroups

Childcare is for children aged 3 months to 4 years. On the day a child turns four year, he or she will go to school. Parents are only entitled to a childcare allowance if they use registered childcare (Dutch).

The playgroup is for children from 2 to 4 years. The goal is to learn by playing. Playgroups are closed during school holidays. In Oegstgeest SKO (Dutch) offers toddlers' playgroups.

If you and your partner both work or study, you can apply for a contribution towards your costs via the tax authorities. This concerns the so-called childcare allowance (Dutch: kinderopvangtoeslag). This fee applies to day care, but also to after school care and some playgroups. More information is available at www.toeslagen.nl (Dutch). The Expat Centre can help you with the application.

Infant welfare centre and parenting

You can visit the Infant welfare centre (Consultatiebureau) with all kind of questions about the growth and development of children from 0 to 4 years. You can ask questions about, for example sleeping, crying, feeding, vaccinations, toilet training and playing. Parents of children aged zero to nineteen years can address their questions about parenting and growing up to the Pedagogic Advice Centre.