About €300 million added to childcare benefits; could create 8000 jobs

The Cabinet announced on Monday night that 290 million euros has been set aside to increase childcare benefits. Industry association Kinderopvang expects that this could create some 8 thousand jobs in childcare. Leo Houwen, chairman of the association, said this to BNR, adding that there is a direct relationship between childcare service providing and personnel costs. "We also think that it will become accessible for some 50 thousand parents to send their kids to childcare. This is very good news for the labor market." Houwen said. "We also think that for parents who already have their kids in childcare, that without increase it costs, will find it possible to buy more hours of care. That means: less artificial measures, less dilemma, less stress." Gjalt Jellesma, chairman of the association with children in daycare BOinK, considers it a tidy some, but does not know whether this would mean more children returning to daycare. What you see in the figures, is that since 9 months ago the number of children going to daycare increased, bu the number of hours dropped", Jellesma said to BNR. "Over the past four years we had an average of 2.5 days per child, dropped to 1.5 days. So many daycare centers were closed. I don't think you can undo that with this measure."