The Dutch government aims to extend the time period for the tem­porary subsidy scheme for financing childcare in the Caribbean Netherlands.
This is to avoid an interrup­tion in childcare funding in the run-up to the BES Childcare Act, State Sec­retary of Participation and Integration Jurgen Nobel writes in a letter sent to the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament on Thursday, September 5.

This means that the time period for temporary subsi­dy scheme will be extended to July 1, 2026. Without the extension, parents would have to fully pay for child­care themselves from Janu­ary 1, 2025 — and until the BES Childcare Act comes into effect.

In addition to the exten­sion of the temporary sub­sidy scheme, the scheme will also include the subsidy amounts for the first half of 2025 and the related sub­sidy ceiling per island and the amount of the parental contribution for that pe­riod.

Currently, the act is still in Internet consultation, and is expected to take ef­fect starting from July 1, 2025. It specifies the rules that are going to apply to quality, data exchange and funding of childcare in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The objective is to provide good, safe and affordable childcare for all children in the Caribbean Nether­lands, so that every child has the opportunity to de­velop to its full potential. As the Internet consulta­tion is still ongoing; the Advisory Division of the Council of State has yet to offer its advice pertaining the law proposal; and the National Government of the Caribbean Netherlands RCN Unit Social Affairs and Employment SZW ­which will be in charge of the funding for childcare — has yet to set up its op­erations, it is still unclear whether the target date of July 1, 2025 will be met. For that reason, the temporary subsidy scheme will be ex­tended until July 1, 2026.

This extension will have no budgetary impact as this scheme replaces the funding under the Child­care Act, which have al­ready been included in the SZW budget. The exten­sion also has no financial consequences for childcare organisations and parents in the Caribbean Nether­lands.

The Daily Herald.