Baby-sitters guide for expats in Amsterdam
If you are looking for more regular baby-sitters or childcare, it is possible that the quickest and most direct way to find an English-speaking child care provider will be through the classifieds in local newspapers or on the internet. You have the option of searching through the postings, or you could place an ad yourself, if you have a specific time that you will need assistance. Most people who are looking to work as babysitters in Amsterdam will be foreigners, and it is highly unusual to find Dutch individuals working in these jobs.
Since anyone can place advertisements for the services that they would like to offer, it is important to consider references when you select your child care provider. There are many agencies/organisations that make this easier for you, since they screen the employees who work through their service, and they can often provide you with a babysitter on rather short notice.
An important tip to take into consideration is that all parents living and working in the Netherlands are eligible for a childcare allowance. This reduces the cost of childcare by up to 90% for families with children under 12 and full-time working parents. In order to take advantage of this benefit, the childcare you use must be from a formal provider such as a daycare centre that conforms to the rules and regulations of the official Childcare Act, or can be informal childcare (home daycare) that is mediated through a daycare bureau (for example, Blue Umbrella, listed below).
English-speaking Baby-sitters
Oppascentrale Kriterion
For a fee of €20 per year you can register for this service that provides babysitters for €7/hour. Babysitters can even be provided on very short notice in most circumstances. You can contact the service through e-mail, 24 hours/day, or you can call them between 16.30 and 20.00, Monday through Saturday.
Tel: 020 – 624 58 48
e-mail: oppascentrale@kriterionoppas.org
Babysittersclub Amsterdam
This Dutch group of childcare providers offers services throughout Amsterdam, within the A10 ring road, to families in need of babysitters, even if arrangements need to be made last minute. The group started with a few Dutch students who had a great deal of experience with children from their own work and studies, and now it has become a reliable and resourceful network for Dutch and International families alike.
In order to work with this service, there is a €25 registration fee, and that also covers the requisite “intake interview” in which your needs are assessed, and both you and the babysitters have the opportunity to determine whether you will be able to accommodate the others’ needs and meet each others’ expectations. Once you have registered, they charge a €10 mediation fee if you arrange for your sitter more than 24 hours in advance (and €15 if you need to arrange for someone to help you out last minute). The sitters generally ask for €7/hour, and this is paid at the time of service.
Tel: +31 (0)6-24188321
e-mail: infor@babysittersculb.nl
Blue Umbrella
This service is specifically designed to help expats with their childcare needs. In addition to offering a fast and easy registration that will assist you in finding an English-speaking care provider that meets your personal preferences, this service also offers all relevant information regarding the childcare allowance that nearly all professionals in the Netherlands are entitled to.
Tel:+31 (0)20 468 7560
e-mail: info@blueumbrella.nl
