More Dutch toddlers to get low cost daycare spots

All toddlers between the ages of 2.5 and 4 years should be able to attend daycare or a playgroup. Minister Lodewijk Asscher and the association of Dutch municipalities made agreements to achieve this on Monday, ANP reports. Asscher is making 60 million euros available so that municipalities can pay for daycare for toddlers whose parents do not receive a childcare allowance, for example because one or both parents are not employed. All toddlers will attend an average of 2 daycare or playgroup sessions per week. According to Asscher, all toddlers deserves to attend daycare, playgroup or preschool. "Also toddlers whose parent or parents do not work. Good childcare gives children a good start in society. Every child has a right to that", the Deputy Prime Minister said to ANP. Currently about 15 percent of toddlers do not attend daycare or preschool or their parents have to pay for it themselves. The Municipalities will receive the first 10 million euros of the available money in July. The rest will follow in the next five years.