Refusing unvaccinated kids at daycare unlawful

The call from parents' organizations to ban unvaccinated children from daycare has been rebuffed by ministers as there is no judicial ground for this to be possible. According to childcare laws, this is not allowed.

Moreover, a complete refusal would mean that a distinction is made on the basis of religion or lifestyle. This is what Ministers Lodewijk Asscher and Edith Schippers, of Social Affairs and Health respectively, told Parliament after questions from VVD-MPs Arno Rutte and Ockje Tellegen.

A catalyst for these questions was an incident in which a baby became seriously ill after being in contact with a child who had contracted the measles in The Hague.

According to ministers Asscher and Schippers, daycare institutions should take it upon themselves to make sure that childcare takes place in a safe and healthy environment. It would be permissible if children were refused entry for a specific amount of time, depending on the situation.

A judge or the Council for Human Rights would have to determine whether an outright exclusion would be judicially acceptable.