Belgium Unveils €14M Package to Boost Childminder Sector
Flemish Minister of Welfare Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) has announced a comprehensive €14 million annual funding package to support childminders in Flanders, aiming to reverse a dramatic decline in family-based childcare. The measures include wage improvements, renovation subsidies, and enhanced pedagogical support, as reported by VRT NWS.
Background: A Sector in Crisis
Family-based childcare—where caregivers, known as “onthaalouders” (reception parents), look after children in their own homes—has long been a cornerstone of Flanders’ childcare landscape. However, the sector is facing an existential challenge. Currently, approximately 3,000 childminders are active in Flanders, but without intervention, projections show that number could plummet to just 500 within six years.
“The number of childminders here and in surrounding countries is declining rapidly,” Gennez said. “Childminders are retiring, there is a tight labor market, and there are changing expectations around work and family life.”
The announcement comes against a backdrop of broader childcare capacity struggles. In January 2026, VRT NWS reported that Flanders had added only 8 new childcare places in the first nine months of 2025, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties.
The Funding Breakdown
The €14 million in additional annual funding is allocated across several key areas:
- €9.3 million for wage improvements for childminders who adopt or remain in the employee statute, making the profession more financially attractive
- €1.8 million for installation and renovation premiums, allowing childminders to improve their childcare locations
- €1.1 million for pedagogical guidance and workplace support
- €1.75 million to adjust performance subsidies following the federal increase in the guaranteed minimum income
Addressing a Political Controversy
The renovation premium component carries particular political significance. In 2025, a promised €3,000 renovation premium for childminders collapsed amid controversy, with opposition parties accusing Gennez of misleading parliament. Groen party parliament member Jeremie Vaneeckhout claimed the minister had lied about negotiations with federal Finance Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA), while P-Magazine reported that internal party dynamics may have derailed the initiative.
The new €1.8 million renovation premium appears designed to replace the failed measure, albeit with a different structure. The funding builds on a sectoral agreement signed in February 2026, which established that new childminders can only start under an employee statute from July 1, 2026.
Recruitment Targets and Broader Investment
Gennez aims to recruit 900 additional childminders under the employee statute, creating 3,600 new places for children across Flanders. “We absolutely want to avoid losing this home-based form of childcare,” she stated.
The childminder package is part of a larger €200 million annual investment the Flemish government is making this legislative term across all forms of childcare, including crèches with affordable rates. The first 1,600 of 3,936 approved new places are expected to become operational in 2026 and 2027.
Analysis and Outlook
The package represents a significant policy response to a pressing demographic challenge. Family-based childcare is particularly valued for providing care in a home environment, offering flexible hours, and serving as a more affordable option compared to crèches—especially important in rural areas where daycare centers may not be available.
However, questions remain. The tight labor market that Gennez herself acknowledges may make it difficult to recruit 900 new childminders quickly. The employee statute requirement, effective July 1, could deter potential new entrants who prefer self-employment. And the new renovation premium must avoid the tax exemption pitfalls that derailed its predecessor.
As Flanders confronts a childcare capacity crisis that has seen bureaucratic delays and political infighting, the success of this package will depend not only on funding but on effective implementation. The coming months will reveal whether the measures can reverse the decline and secure the future of family-based childcare in the region.