Parents should fund childcare, not the state, say a majority

Friday 04 January 2013

Parents should pay the full cost of childcare themselves, according to 40% of the Dutch population in a new CBS poll.

Just 32% think the cost should be shared between parents and the government, 18% think it is primarily an issue for government and 11% think employers should pay.

The total cost of childcare reached nearly €4bn in 2011, of which 73% was funded by the government and employers, the CBS said.

Rising costs

The cost of childcare has been rising steadily for parents for years. In 2007, parents paid 19% of the bill but that had risen to 27% by 2011, the CBS said. The government is planning a further increase to 34%.

Over the same period, the number of children in organised childcare rose sharply, from 375,000 to 537,000. That total is estimated to have gone down by 10% last year, as government spending cuts begin to bite.

The survey was carried out among 3,500 people. Just 10% of parents with children attending daycare services thought parents should pick up most of the bill.

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