Guided tour
You can easily schedule a tour via our website. During your visit to our child daycare or after-school care, you will meet our educational professionals. You can get a feel for the atmosphere, see the rooms and ask any questions you may have. You can also register your child first. We will then send you an invitation for a tour.
Registration & placement
You register your child online via our website.
What happens next?
- Within a few days, you will hear whether there is a place available.
- You will receive a placement agreement.
- You sign this online within 7 days.
- The placement is then finalised.
After registering, you will receive confirmation by e-mail.
Registration for our nursery is free and without obligation. You only pay once your child has been allocated a place.
If there is no place available at the nursery of your choice, your child will be placed on our waiting list. We will contact you as soon as a place becomes available.
Who gets priority?
- Siblings of children already enrolled
- Children of employees
- Children moving from nursery to after-school care
After you register, our Family Planning Department will contact you. They will check availability and discuss the options with you.
Tip: We can often give you an initial estimate during a tour.
The general guideline is to seek care as soon as you know you are pregnant, or at the latest during the first three months of your pregnancy.
You can easily change your registration online via our parent portal.
Here's how:
- Go to ‘My childcare’ and log in.
- Click on ‘Contracts’ for your child.
- Click on the contract (next to the paperclip).
- Select the green ‘Change’ button.
You will receive a confirmation once the change has been processed.
Tip: Also notify the Tax and Customs Administration of your change. This will affect your childcare allowance.
You can cancel your registration via our parent portal or by contacting us.
What you need to know:
- Registration is free of charge.
- You are under no obligation.
- You can cancel free of charge.
- Do you already have a contract? You can cancel free of charge up to 1 day before the start date.
- Has childcare already started? Then a notice period of 1 month applies.
A few weeks before the start date, we will contact you to schedule an introductory meeting.
During the introductory meeting:
- You will meet your child's mentor.
- You will receive information about the daycare.
- You will discuss your child's needs.
The settling-in period
After the meeting, your child will usually stay in the group for a few hours to get used to the new environment. This allows your child to experience the atmosphere and get to know our educational professionals and other children.
Does your child need more time?
Then we will schedule a second settling-in session. This way, we ensure that your child settles into the daycare center at their own pace.
Safety and trust
We make sure your child feels safe and welcome. We pay close attention to signals and offer both physical and emotional safety. Together with you, we build a foundation of trust in which your child can develop comfortably.
- Siblings of children already attending our childcare center
- Children of employees
- Children transitioning from daycare to after-school care
If your child's school is not listed in our overview, please contact the location manager. We will be happy to discuss the options with you.
Cancel & change
You can easily change your contract via our parent portal. The change period is one month if childcare has already started.
Here's how to do it:
- Go to ‘My childcare’ and log in.
- Click on ‘Contracts’ for your child.
- Click on the contract (next to the paperclip).
- Select the green ‘Change’ button.
Important: Please also notify the Tax and Customs Administration of your change. This will affect your childcare allowance.
You can terminate your contract via our parent portal. The notice period is one month.
Here's how to do it:
- Go to ‘My childcare’ and log in.
- Click on ‘Contracts’ for your child.
- Click on the contract (next to the paperclip).
- Select the green ‘Cancel’ button.
Important: You must also notify the Tax and Customs Administration of your cancellation. This will affect your childcare allowance.
Getting used to
A few weeks before the start date, we will contact you to schedule an introductory meeting.
During the introductory meeting:
- You will meet your child's mentor.
- You will receive information about the daycare.
- You will discuss your child's needs.
The settling-in period
After the meeting, your child will usually stay in the group for a few hours to get used to the new environment. This allows your child to experience the atmosphere and get to know our educational professionals and other children.
Does your child need more time?
Then we will schedule a second settling-in session. This way, we ensure that your child settles into the daycare center at their own pace.
Safety and trust
We make sure your child feels safe and welcome. We pay close attention to signals and offer both physical and emotional safety. Together with you, we build a foundation of trust in which your child can develop comfortably.
We follow your child's pace when settling in. On average, two settling-in sessions are planned.
Yes, of course you can stay for a while during the initial settling-in period to support your child. This is allowed at both the daycare center and the after-school care center.
Delivery & collection
As a parent, you are always allowed to pick up your child. Other people with parental authority may also pick up your child.
Would you like someone else to pick up your child? For example, a grandparent? First, fill in a consent form, which will be visible in the parent portal after submission.
On the day itself, you indicate who will pick up your child. You report this via our parent portal. Without your notification, we will not release your child. This ensures your child's safety.
Is your child sick? Please report this as soon as possible via our parent portal.
Is your child unable to attend? Please report a planned absence at least two working days in advance via our parent portal.
How to report your child absent:
- Log in to our parent portal.
- Click on ‘Schedules’ for your child.
- Select the month
- Click on the green button at the top right
- Select ‘Report sick’ or ‘Report absent’
- The box will turn gray
Do you have a question for our educational professionals?
Send a message via our parent portal. That way, they can respond at their leisure when the children are asleep or playing.
Would you like to contact us directly?
Call the location. You can find the phone numbers on our website.
Do you only use daycare or only after-school care (BSO)? Then you can also call your child's location directly from our parent portal.
Yes, this is permitted if:
- Your child is 8 years or older.
- You give your consent for this via the consent form, which will be visible in the parent portal after submission.
- You make clear agreements with the educational professionals.
This applies to both coming to the after-school care center and going home independently.
Our parent portal, your parent portal, and app
Our parent portal is a web portal and app designed specifically for parents. Here you can arrange everything related to your child's childcare.
You can do the following in our parent portal:
- Request, exchange, or change childcare days
- Request extra childcare
- Report your child sick, absent, or better
- View contracts and invoices
- Download annual statements
- Update your details
- Read messages from the group
- View photos of your child
Everything in one place. Easy and clear.
For more information about the parent portal, read more here.
Go to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) on your mobile phone or tablet and download the app.
Download the parent app for Android here.
Download the parent app for iOS here.
The child planner app is called: SDB Octopus Parent App.
You can recognize the app by the following image:
Once you become a customer of Espira Childcare, you will receive an email from us with your login details. This email will contain your username and a temporary password.
How to log in:
- Go to our Espira website and click on parent portal.
- Log in with your email address and password.
- The first time you log in, you will need to create a new password.
Forgotten your password? Click on ‘Forgotten password’.
Once you become a customer of Espira Childcare, you will receive an email from us with your login details. This email will contain your username and a temporary password.
The first time you use the app, it will ask you for a QR code or organization code.
Here's how to find the code:
- First, log in to the Espira website and the parent portal.
- Click on the menu (☰) on the left.
- Scan the QR code or enter the organization code.
- Log in with your email address and password.
Closing days and early closing: On our website
School study days: In the schedule on our parent portal
Registering study days: Please note!
- Does your child's school have a study day? Please register this via ‘Schedules’ in ‘My childcare’.
- Please do this at least 2 weeks in advance.
- This is mandatory, even on regular childcare days.
- Without registration, we cannot provide childcare for your child.
Is the study day not listed in ‘My childcare’?
Then our after-school care is not open. Please notify the location manager up to 1 month in advance. They will see if it is still possible to organize childcare.
Costs: Extra hours will be charged, or you can exchange them for a vacation day.
Costs & reimbursements
Gross costs
You pay the full costs (gross) to Espira.
Childcare allowance
You will receive a partial refund from the government. This is called childcare allowance. You can apply for this yourself at the Tax and Customs Administration.
How much you get back depends on:
- Your income
- The number of children for whom you use childcare
Net costs
This is the part you pay yourself. It is different for everyone.
Calculate your own costs
Use our Net Cost Calculator. This gives you insight into what you have to pay yourself. Please note: this is an estimate from which you cannot derive any rights.
Apply for childcare allowance
You apply for childcare allowance from the Tax Authority. This is your own responsibility.
When to apply?
- Once you have signed the contract
- Your child must be born and have a BSN number
- Be sure to do this within 3 months of starting childcare (otherwise you will lose money)
Reporting changes
Report changes to the Tax and Customs Administration at:
- More or fewer childcare hours
- Change in income or work
- Marriage, cohabitation, or divorce
- Change in health situation
Find your LRK number
You can find the LRK number for your Espira Kinderopvang location at:
- Your contract
- The location page on our website
- The website of the National Childcare Register
Calculate costs
- Sample calculation of allowance: Tax Authority website
- Calculate net costs: our Net cost calculator
Need help? You can find information about applications and help with filling in forms on the Tax and Customs Administration website.
At Espira, many costs are already included in the price.
- Daycare: Our daycare rates include diapers, fresh fruit, bread meals, drinks/bottle feeding, organized activities, outings, and transportation.
- After-school care: Our after-school care rates include fresh fruit, vegetable snacks, and bread meals, organized activities, outings, and transportation.
Invoice
- You pay by direct debit around the 25th of the month.
- This is the payment for the following month.
- Invoices can be found in the parent portal from the 1st day of the month.
- You will not receive an invoice by post or email.
- You will also not receive a notification that the invoice is ready.
- The invoice states ‘outstanding amount’ because the direct debit has yet to take place.
Annual statement
- Available in February/March
- Only available in our parent portal
- You can download the annual statement there
Yes, you can. Without direct debit, you will incur additional costs:
- Administration costs: €5 per payment
- Postal invoice: €2.50 extra per payment
How do you pay?
- Via the payment button on the invoice for my childcare in the parent portal.
- This button only works after the collection date.
- You pay with iDEAL.
- Outstanding amount?
If there is still an outstanding amount:
- You will receive a reminder with a payment button.
- Click on the button for iDEAL payment.
- You will see an overview of the amount.
- Click on the iDEAL button again.
- Complete the payment via internet banking.
The GGD inspects our locations every year. They assess whether we provide safe and responsible childcare.
What does the GGD inspect?
- The layout of the rooms
- The use of the rooms where children are present
- How our educational professionals interact with children (through observations)
Where can you find the reports? The inspection reports are public. You can find them as links on the location page of our website.
Contract & packages
Yes, this is required by law. We ask for your and your child's citizen service number (BSN). This is required by law for the purpose of childcare allowance.
Why do we need this information? The Tax and Customs Administration needs these numbers to be able to pay your childcare allowance. Without BSN numbers, you cannot apply for allowance and receive a refund.
Daycare center – ages 0-4
- 52-week package: childcare throughout the year (except holidays and closing days)
- 40-week package: childcare during school weeks only (no vacations)
At our daycare centers in Amersfoort, you can purchase full days (11 hours) of daycare. At the
daycare locations in Bergen op Zoom, Roosendaal, Tholen, and Steenbergen, in addition to full days of daycare, you can also purchase half-days * of 5.5 hours of daycare. Some locations also offer early childcare.
* Please note: the chance of a parent being offered a half-day place is very small. The child planning department uses a sequence to plan staffing efficiently, and half-days may end up at the bottom of the list for offering a contract.
After-school care (BSO) – ages 4-12
- 52-week package: childcare throughout the year (except public holidays and closing days)
- 40-week package: childcare during school weeks only (no holidays)
- Before-school care – Some BSOs also offer early childcare. Check the options on the page for your child's location.
Which package suits your family? Visit our website for more information.
As of January 1, 2026, flexible childcare and 46-week packages will no longer be available and can only be used by parents who have taken out such a package in the past at Plek voor Kinderen locations and have not changed their childcare arrangements. The childcare options above show which packages we currently offer at Espira childcare.
Yes, the contract ends automatically.
- Daycare: ends in the month your child turns 4.
- After-school care (BSO): ends in the month your child turns 13.
Transitioning from daycare to BSO
One year before your child turns 4, you will receive an email from our Child Planning department. In this email, we will ask if you would like to use Espira's BSO.
Please note: You must register your child for after-school care in a timely manner. You can do this via our parent portal.
When your child turns 4, childcare at the daycare center (KDV) automatically ends.
How do you arrange the transition?
- Request a new contract yourself via our parent portal.
- We will arrange the new contract together.
- We will schedule orientation sessions for your child.
Please note: As a parent, you must request the new after-school care contract yourself. This does not happen automatically.
Yes, that is possible. Would you like to continue childcare at our daycare center for longer? For example, because your child will be starting school later? If so, please contact our Child Planning department in good time.
You have two options:
- Your child can start attending after-school care (BSO) from their fourth birthday.
- You can extend the contract with the daycare center until your child actually starts school.
What should you do? Contact the child planning department in good time to discuss the options for childcare during the summer holidays.
Opening hours & closing days
Opening hours per location
Our opening hours vary per location. Please check the location page on our website for the current times.
Childcare closing days 2025
- Thursday, December 25 - Christmas Day
- Friday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Early closure around the holidays
- December 5, 2025: Amersfoort locations close at 5:00 p.m.
- December 24 and 31, 2025:
- Bergen op Zoom, Roosendaal, Tholen, Steenbergen locations: 4:00 p.m.
- Amersfoort locations 2025: 5 p.m.
Childcare closing days 2026
In accordance with the Childcare Collective Labor Agreement, we will be closed on:
- Thursday, January 1 - New Year's Day
- Monday, April 6 - Easter Monday
- Monday, April 27 - King's Day
- Tuesday, May 5 - Liberation Day
- Thursday, May 14 - Ascension Day
- Monday, May 25 - Whit Monday
- Friday, December 25 - Christmas Day
- Saturday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Early closing around the holidays
We will close early on December 24 and 31. The exact times are still to be confirmed.
Exchanges, credit, and extra days
Yes, swapping is possible. Swapping is a service provided by Espira Childcare, not a right. You can swap a maximum of 6 times per year (per child).
Conditions for swapping:
- Notify us of the day your child will be absent at least 48 hours in advance.
- Swapping is only possible if there is enough space in the group.
- You will receive a response no later than 5 working days before the desired swap day.
How do you arrange a swap?
Deregister your child and request a swap day via our parent portal.
Can I swap public holidays? Yes, you can. You can swap a public holiday if:
- The public holiday falls on your regular childcare day
- You have reported that day as absent in advance
Missing a day of childcare? You can request an extra day at a reduced rate within three months. We call this compensation hours. You can request these via our parent portal.
Occasional extra day
Request individual days via ‘My Childcare’ in our parent portal.
Structural expansion
Would you like more childcare days on a permanent basis? Please contact our Child Planning department.
Care during normal after-school care hours
Your child is welcome during normal after-school care hours on school study days. These hours are already included in your contract.
Extra childcare during school hours
Would you also like childcare during school hours? Request this via ‘My Childcare’ in our parent portal.
Conditions for extra hours:
- At least 3 children must register.
- A pedagogical professional must be available.
- These hours are not included in your package.
- You request them as compensation or flex hours.
- You will hear whether we can open no later than 5 days in advance.
Illness, health & nutrition
Your child must stay home if they have:
- A fever of 38.5°C or higher
- If your child is clearly unwell
- A contagious illness
Difficult to determine?
We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to determine whether your child is too ill for childcare. If in doubt, please contact us.
Guidelines and communication
We follow the guidelines of the National Center for Hygiene and Safety (RIVM). In the event of disease outbreaks, we will inform all parents.
Report and treat immediately
- Always report head lice to our educational professionals.
- Treat your child with an anti-head lice product.
- Your child can return to daycare immediately after treatment.
How do head lice spread?
Anyone can get head lice. Lice do not jump, but are spread through:
- Direct contact between heads
- Shared combs, hats, or coats
- Costumes or coat racks
- Bedding and pillows
- What does Espira do about head lice?
If there are head lice at the daycare center:
- We post a notice on the bulletin board or door
- Employees follow a protocol (treatment and prevention) to prevent further spread
Healthy and varied nutrition
We follow the guidelines of the Nutrition Center. This means:
- Lots of vegetables, fruit, and whole grain products
- Drinks without sugar
- Products without added salt and sugar
How do we approach food?
- Fixed, calm mealtimes
- Your child chooses from our healthy selection
- We never force food on anyone
Want to know more? You can read more about our nutrition policy on our website.
Celebrating birthdays
We celebrate birthdays in a simple and fun way within the group.
Treats
- We only want healthy treats.
- The Netherlands Nutrition Center has tips for healthy treat ideas.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your child's location.
At our childcare locations, children play outside in all weather conditions. Whether it's raining, windy, or sunny, playing outside is healthy and important for their development.
In good weather and sunshine
- We apply sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
- We provide shaded areas
- Children are given extra water to drink
- We follow our heat protocol in extreme heat
- In rain and wind
There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing! Therefore, please provide:
- Rainwear and boots
- Extra clothing to change into
When do we stay indoors?
Only in extreme weather conditions such as storms, thunderstorms, or extreme heat, in accordance with the heat protocol.
Everyone is welcome
Espira welcomes both vaccinated and unvaccinated children and employees. Vaccination is not mandatory for childcare in the Netherlands.
What can we ask?
- We may ask whether your child has been vaccinated according to the National Immunization Program.
- You are not obliged to answer. (this is medical information).
- With your permission, we may register the vaccination status.
- We only use this information to keep track of the vaccination rate.
Safe environment
We always follow national guidelines to ensure a safe environment for all children.
Direct communication
In the event of risks or an outbreak of a contagious disease, we will inform all parents immediately.
Protective measures
To protect the entire group, we may:
- Temporarily refuse access to unvaccinated children.
- This measure is temporary until the risk of infection has passed.
Why these measures?
The health of all children and our educational professionals is paramount. All measures are intended to prevent the spread of infection.
Pedagogy, development & groups
Monitoring development
At our locations, we use various observation methods to monitor your child's development.
More information?
Ask your location which observation method they use.
Yes, every child has a mentor. The mentor is one of the permanent educational professionals in your child's group.
What does the mentor do?
- Monitors your child's development.
- Is the point of contact for you and your child.
- Pays extra attention to your child.
Contacting the mentor
You can always speak to the mentor when he or she is present. You can also make an appointment for a meeting.
Specially trained staff
Baby specialists work with groups of babies. These are educational professionals with additional training and knowledge about baby development.
Why baby specialists?
Babies need different care than toddlers and preschoolers. Our baby specialists know exactly what your baby needs for proper development.
More information?
Ask at your location if there is a baby specialist available.
Yes, some Espira Kinderopvang locations have outdoor beds. Babies and toddlers can sleep outside in these beds. Parents are asked to give their consent via the consent form.
How does sleeping outside work?
- We first ask parents for permission.
- The outdoor beds are always supervised.
- Not all locations have outdoor beds.
Does your location have outdoor beds?
Check the location page of your daycare center to see if they have outdoor beds.
Good preparation makes the day more enjoyable for everyone. That is why we have listed everything you need to know.
What should you bring?
- A change of clothes for your child
- Pacifier (if your child uses one)
- Breastfeeding (we have refrigerator space)
What does Espira Childcare provide?
- Diapers
- Food and drinks
- Care products
What is not allowed?
- Personal toys
- Candy or other treats
- Are you unsure about something? Feel free to ask the educational professionals in the group.
At our locations, we work with horizontal groups and/or vertical groups:
- Horizontal group – Children of approximately the same age are placed together, for example, babies (0-1 year), toddlers (1-2 years), and preschoolers (2-4 years). This allows us to tailor the daily routine and our activities to the children.
- Vertical group – Children of different ages are placed together in a group, just like in a family situation. Younger children learn from older children and brothers and sisters can stay together.
The system we use varies per location.
First discuss your dissatisfaction with the person concerned, for example the educational professional or the location manager. In many cases, it is possible to find a solution together.
What should I include in my complaint?
If you cannot resolve the issue or would like your complaint to be formally recorded, please fill in our complaint form. We can only process complaints submitted via this form. Fill in all fields on the form so that we can properly assess your complaint. Briefly describe what happened and what your desired solution is. You may also attach any relevant documents. Please submit your complaint within two months of the incident.
How will my complaint be handled?
Our complaints officer will ensure that your complaint is handled with care. You will receive written confirmation, after which we will investigate what happened and, if necessary, speak to those involved. Within six weeks, you will receive a written response with our assessment and any follow-up steps. If it takes longer, we will let you know in good time.
What if my complaint concerns child abuse or inappropriate behavior?
In that case, we always follow the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Reporting Code first.
What if I am not satisfied with the handling of my complaint?
You can contact the Childcare Complaints Desk for free advice and mediation, or submit your complaint to the Childcare Disputes Committee for a binding decision. You can go directly to the Disputes Committee if you have not received a response within six weeks.
We work with the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Reporting Code. This is a step-by-step plan that helps us recognize signs of possible abuse or violence in a timely manner and deal with them appropriately. The reporting code protects all children in our care and ensures that we act professionally.
What do we do in practice?
- All our employees are trained in recognizing different forms of child abuse and domestic violence.
- We learn how to talk to parents at an early stage if we are concerned about a child.
- We discuss the reporting code with the entire team every year.
How does the reporting code work?
We follow a number of steps: observing, identifying signs, assessing whether a child is at risk, initiating a conversation and expressing our concerns, and, if necessary, reporting to the appropriate authorities. If we suspect abuse, we have a legal obligation to report it.
- The reporting code applies to all situations.
- The reporting code distinguishes between inappropriate behavior by someone in the child's environment, by an employee, by the owner, or by children among themselves. We take all signs seriously, regardless of where they come from.
- Open communication is key
Because we are in daily contact with parents, we are able to accurately interpret the behavior and development of children. Respectful, open communication between our educational professionals and parents is indispensable in this regard.