Each childcare centre has a written health and safety policy and ensures that everyone complies with it. This policy includes:

• What the main risks for children are, such as:
  • Significant health and safety risks.
  • The risk of inappropriate behaviour by employees, trainees, volunteers, other adults or children.
• Measures being taken to minimise risks, and what should be done if something does happen.
• How to teach children to deal with minor risks that have little impact on their health and safety.
• How the childcare centre is organised according to the four-eyes principle. This means that there must always be another adult available to watch or listen in. There do not always need to be two persons in the same area, but it must be possible for an employee to be seen or heard by someone else. A camera alone is not sufficient.Is there only one employee present at the childcare centre? Then the childcare centre complies with the four-eyes principle if, for example:
  • There is a school next to the building where employees occasionally drop in.
  • A manager checks in regularly.
  • Parents can enter the building when dropping off or picking up their child.
• How a back-up is arranged if there is only one employee. A back-up is someone who can help in an emergency. For example, if a child needs to go to the doctor quickly or if the employee suddenly falls ill or has a serious accident. In such emergency situations, the back-up must be able to arrive quickly to help. The back-up must therefore always be available by telephone and be able to reach the location within 15 minutes in the event of an emergency.
• How you regularly discuss the health and safety policy with employees and ensure that everyone is familiar with it and acts accordingly. And how you regularly evaluate the plan and adapt it if there are any changes, so that it always remains up to date.
• How you inform employees, volunteers and parents about the health and safety policy in a clear and understandable manner.

*A host parent also draws up a health and safety policy. This must include at least the following:

• What the main risks for the health and safety of the children are.
• What you are doing to minimise those risks, and within what timeframe.
• What you do if something does go wrong and within what timeframe can it be resolved.
• How the back-up has been arranged: a person you can call who is available within 15 minutes in case of an emergency.

A childcare centre provides healthy nutrition.

• What is meant by healthy nutrition is determined by the Public Entity. This information is available from November 2025 on the island pages of this website.   
• Parents cannot be asked to pay any additional contributions or to bring products like fruit, formula, snacks, or other food. This can only be requested from the parent(s) if a child has special dietary requirements.

If someone at a childcare location suspects that a child is the victim of sexual abuse or maltreatment by a person who works or is present at the childcare location, then the following steps are applicable from 1 January 2027:

• Employees must always report any suspicion of a possible sexual offence or abuse to the operator. This notification obligation applies to all employees.
• The operator has a duty to consult in the event of a notification or suspicion of criminal behaviour against a child and must immediately consult with the independent expert.
• If the operator is suspected of sexual abuse or maltreatment themselves then the employee can contact the independent expert directly.
• The operator or employee may be required to report the matter if, in consultation with the expert, there are sufficient grounds to believe that criminal behaviour has taken place. In that case, the reporting obligation applies. The operator or employee must then report the matter to the police.
• The operator must inform all employees what they should do if they suspect sexual abuse or maltreatment of children by a person working or present at the childcare location. The operator ensures that everyone is well informed and also adheres to the notification, consultation and reporting obligations.

*A host parent also has a duty to consult and must consult with the independent expert if they suspect sexual abuse or maltreatment. A host parent cannot be obliged to report to the police. The expert guides and advises the host parent on the appropriate actions to take.

The independent expert

From 2027, you will be able to contact the independent expert via the Domestic Violence Advice Point.

• On Bonaire: 0802-0802
• On St. Eustatius: +599 318 4837
• On Saba: +599 416 6936/3053

The expert provides the operator or host parent with:

• Advice on what steps need to be taken.
• Support in taking the necessary steps and finding a solution.
• If necessary, assistance with submitting a complaint or filing a report.

The expert is independent of those involved and always works together with the Confidential Inspectorate in the European Netherlands. Together, they have all the knowledge and experience required about:

• Criminal suspicion of sexual abuse and maltreatment of children.
• Professional interaction with those involved.
• Fulfilling a role of trust.

Are you facing an unsafe situation at your childcare location in 2026? Then you must report this to the local Inspectorate (from 2027 onwards, you can report this to the independent expert at the Domestic Violence Advice point). If you suspect that a crime has been committed, you can report this to the police.

The domestic violence and child abuse protection code sets out what professionals must do when they encounter signs of domestic violence or child abuse in the home situation:

• Document signals and concerns as factually and objectively as possible.
• Consult with an expert colleague or seek advice from the local Domestic Violence Advise point:
  • On Bonaire: 0802-0802
  • On St. Eustatius: +599 318 4837
  • On Saba: +599 416 6936/3053
• Talk to the parents or guardians, and if possible also with the child. This conversation is about the concerns that have been raised, the reactions of the parent/guardian and the child, possible help and follow-up appointments.
• Assess the severity of the domestic violence or child abuse. If necessary, seek further advice from an expert colleague or the Domestic Violence Advice point.
• Decide:
  • If help should be provided or organised.
  • If a notification should be submitted to the Domestic Violence Advice point. This notification does not require the consent of the parent or child, but they must be informed that a notification is submitted.