Green party wants to give all kids 3 days of free childcare

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver wants to put an end to the childcare allowance and the problems it causes by giving each child three days of free childcare per week. The childcare allowance system is far too complicated, he said to RTL Nieuws.

"People first pay money to a childcare organization and then get money back from the government. It is one big hassle", Klaver said, adding that there is a simple solution. "We say: make it free. We as government just have to offer it, just like you do with education."

The system of allowances causes much confusion and problems, as was recently shown again with the childcare allowance debacle in which hundreds of parents' allowances were wrongfully halted. "We are constantly concerned about the question: how can we compensate people", Klaver said. "I think it's time for the question to be: how can we avoid having the same problems in five years."

This is not the first time GroenLinks proposed making childcare free, but so far the proposal never got majority support. But Klaver think the tide is now turning. "We think we can win over parties who are still in doubt."

Making childcare a basic provision will cost a lot of money. Klaver therefore wants the Rutte III government to look into how this can be paid for, so that the next government can quickly introduce free childcare.