Child care costs averages 2,000 euro for Dutch parents

In 2011 over half million parents received child care allowances. The costs of child care per parent averaged close to 7,300 euro. The parents themselves paid nearly 2,000 euro of this. The rest came from the child care allowance.

Child care allowance averages 5,300 euro

In 2011 537 thousand parents received child care allowances for the formal child care of one or more children. In total 844 thousand children were involved. Parents who received child care allowance received 5,300 euro on average. This compensated 73 percent of their child care costs. In 2007 some 375 thousand parents received child care allowance. The average amount parents received has been reduced somewhat since 2009.

Child care allowance, recipients and amounts paid

Parental contribution from 23 to 27 percent

In 2011 parents receiving child care allowance paid on average 27 percent of the costs themselves. This is more than in 2010, when they paid 23 percent. The average parental contribution ended up nearly 400 euro higher than in 2010. The parental contribution increased relatively much for the lower income groups.

Higher parental contributions for the higher incomes

The percentage that parents contribute depends on their income. In 2011 it ranged from 11 percent for households with a disposable income up to 20 thousand euro to nearly 45 percent for households with a disposable income of 75 thousand euro or more.

Parental contribution by disposable income

Substantial benefits for the higher incomes

Households with a disposable income of more than 75 thousand euro made relatively much use of child care. Their annual cost exceeded 9,200 euro. Yet they received nearly 5,100 euro in child care allowance, despite their relatively high contribution.

Parental contribution and child care allowance, 2011*

More child care before and after school

The number of Dutch children cared for at school before and after classes rose from over 150 thousand in 2007 to 361 thousand in 2011. Since 2007 schools must offer this kind of child care. The number of children cared for by host families remained stable in 2011 after a sharp decline in 2010. About 150 thousand children were cared for by officially recognised host families in 2011. The number of children in day care centres increased slightly to 408 thousand.

Bart Huynen