Q&A’s BES(t) 4 kids
Extra money to improve childcare in the Caribbean Netherlands
BES(t) 4 kids is a collaboration between the three public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, and the Ministries SZW, OCW, VWS and BZK. The objective of the collaborating parties is the enhancement of childcare and after-school care in the Caribbean Netherlands. The focus is on creating a safe and caring environment for children, which is accessible to all parents.
When will I start noticing that more money is available?
That is currently unknown. The public entity is working this out together with the central government. Additionally, matters still need to be discussed with childcare organisations. We hope to be able to provide more information in autumn.
Will childcare be free of charge (next year)?
Childcare and after-school care is not free of charge. The public entity will be looking into this in the coming months together with the central government. Additionally, matters still need to be discussed with childcare organisations. We hope to be able to provide more information in autumn.
How will this affect me (parent) next year?
The effects may be different for each parent. This depends, for instance, on the children's age. The public entity is working this out together with the central government. Additionally, matters still need to be discussed with childcare organisations. We hope to be able to provide more information in autumn.
What does this mean for me as a childcare employee?
Providing appropriate/safe care to children places demands on the staff (room leaders). This means that an employee should meet certain training requirements. It is not known yet when the requirements should be met. At least not yet in 2020.
The public entities and the childcare organisations will devise a training programme in the BES(t) 4 kids programme to provide education or in-service training to employees. Your childcare organisation can provide more information on what training programme you could start now.
Will my salary increase as well?
Staff with the appropriate diplomas working in childcare should also receive a fair remuneration. Together with the central government and the childcare organisations, the public entity will assess what a fair remuneration is for well-trained staff. We hope to be able to provide more information in autumn.
I have to deal with many changes as a childcare organisation. I have many questions. Whom can I contact?
Indeed, a lot will change in the coming years. Parents will soon have to pay less and childcare organisations will receive a fee for children of parents who qualify. The public entity will be working this out together with the Central Government in the coming period. For questions, please contact Tamara Nicolaas via tamara.nicolaas@bonairegov.com for Bonaire, Angela Dekker via sarsapilla5@gmail.com for St. Eustatius en Cadella Marten via cadella.marten@sabagov.nl for Saba.
As a childcare organisation I am supposed to train my staff and raise their salaries on top of that. What if I cannot afford this?
Significant effort is demanded from childcare organisations. The public entity will discuss this with them in the near future. These talks will take place periodically in the coming years. Together with the childcare organisations, the public entity will assess the potential results of the different measures and what this means for them, also financially. We hope to be able to provide more concrete information in autumn.
It already is clear that childcare organisations which comply with the childcare islands ordinance may qualify for financial support from the BES(t) 4 kids programme. The exact requirements still need to be determined. If you do not comply with the current ordinance, please contact Tamara Nicolaas via tamara.nicolaas@bonairegov.com for Bonaire, Angela Dekker via sarsapilla5@gmail.com for St. Eustatius en Cadella Marten via cadella.marten@sabagov.nl for Saba as soon as possible.
Is childcare already accessible to everyone? Or do waiting lists still exist?
Unfortunately certain organisations still have waiting lists. However, the intention is that eventually everyone can use childcare. This will not be possible overnight. There are not enough places for all children at the moment. Furthermore, there should be sufficient personnel.
Great efforts are being made in the BES(t) 4 kids programme to realise this. This will be a daunting task. Measures are being taken in all three islands aimed at reducing waiting lists and making childcare and after-school care accessible to more parents.
As a childcare organisation I am supposed to start offering pre-school education. What should I do for this?
Pre-school education is offered by applying a special pedagogical programme. If you as a childcare organisation administer the High Scope (Kaleidoscoop) programme, you probably meet an important requirement for offering pre-school education. There also are other pedagogical programmes for early childhood education (ECE) such as Piramide and Opstapje. ECE programmes focus on the social-emotional development of children, with special attention for language development.
As a school organisation I am engaged in ICC development. What are the consequences of the BES(t) 4 kids programme for the school?
The BES(t) 4 kids programme focuses on enhancement of childcare and pre-school and after-school facilities. So this is also related to the integrated children's centre (ICC). In the BES(t) 4 kids programme the child's continuous line of development is the guiding principle for all organisations in the chain: childcare organisations, schools and youth care organisations. So the BES(t) 4 kids programme is an opportunity for ICC development. The public entity will discuss this with the schools in the near future. These talks will take place periodically in the coming years.
Follow the Facebook page BESt 4 Kids to stay informed about the developments within this program.