Parent input needed on childcare costs: Deputy PM

Parents should maintain the right to advise childcare facilities on pricing, political parties PvdA, CDA and D66 said during a debate session with Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher. The debate is about Asscher's new bill that aims to strengthen parents' position in child care. Parents should report more about the quality of the care their children receive and kindergartens and child care organizations should start their own parents' committees, says Asscher, also the Social Affairs Minister. He would go a step further and make it easier for parents to submit a complaint about the care given to their kids. However, parents would lose the advisory rights they now have, on childcare costs, according to the bill. PvdA, CDA and D66 do not agree with this and join the criticism of BOinK, the interest group of parents in child care. Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, received a letter from BOinK in which they questioned the the value of an offer on quality with no included price tag. CDA MP Pieter Heerma finds it odd to let parents have a bigger say in quality of child care but take away the ability to comment on the costs. The proposal of the three parties to maintain the advisory rights is also expected to get support from SP and GroenLinks, which would give it the majority of votes, assuming all PvdA members came on board with Minister Asscher's plan.