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In the Netherlands, there is the option to hire a gastouder (a nanny working in the home). There are strict regulations and criteria for this, including a childcare qualification, good command of the Dutch language, first-aid qualification, and an assessment of the employer’s home.
If, however, you work in the private sector as a nanny, there are no official regulations or minimum standards for nannies in Amsterdam. Of course, employers must comply with Dutch labor laws and employment regulations, as with any industry, however agency and parent requirements vary dramatically. At Holgate Nannies, our nannies must have a minimum of three years of professional childcare experience, a valid pediatric first-aid certification, and a police check in the country they will be working in.
To work as a nanny in the Netherlands, you need an EU passport or relevant visa or residence permit. The Immigration and Naturalization Service can advise individuals on how to relocate to and work in the Netherlands. It’s rare to find a family willing to offer visa sponsorship. Nannies have a range of credentials, including early childhood diplomas and degrees and degrees in teaching, nursing, and psychology. They will commonly have previous experience working as au pairs or kindergarten or daycare teachers. We also have nannies with degrees in law, music, and engineering! They might be yoga teachers, artists, teachers—anything and everything! The main thing is that they have a clear and proven passion for childcare and experience that showcases this.
Nannies working in the Netherlands have three employment options. They can be employed by the family (who pay their salary, benefits, and tax contributions), be self-employed (the nanny sets their own hourly rate and pays their own taxes), or work under the Domestic Workers Regulation (a form of contract with similar employment benefits that is suitable for three days or less or work per week). They are entitled to legal employment benefits under Dutch labor laws. We advise our nannies and families to seek the advice of an accountant or lawyer before confirming which method is most suitable for them. Holgate Nannies act as an intermediary only.
The salary varies depending on what level of childcare, experience, qualifications, and duties are required. A casual babysitter can often be paid under Dutch minimum wage. Agencies like mine have policies in place to ensure the nanny is compensated legally, fairly, and consistently. A full-time working week in the Netherlands is between thirty-six and forty-eight hours. At Holgate Nannies, a nanny can earn anywhere from 3,000 euros to 4500 euros gross per month. Legally, a nanny who is fully employed can expect a minimum of 70 percent sick pay for the length of the contract, an 8 percent holiday bonus, a minimum of four weeks paid holiday, and a contribution toward their travel and expenses. At Holgate Nannies, we also include guaranteed hours as standard in employment agreements.
The nature of nanny-family relationships is incredibly varied in the Netherlands. The growing population of expats moving to Holland means that a lot of our clientele is international, often bilingual, non-Dutch natives who travel extensively for work. Nannies are certainly becoming a more popular choice of childcare in the Netherlands, but due to a full-time working week being around thirty-six to forty-five hours, daycare can often give more coverage, with the added bonus of subsidies available to working parents. At Holgate Nannies, we work with a variety of formal and informal households, and relationships vary. Fully staffed households are less common in the Netherlands, so the nanny-family relationship is invariably less formal here.
A nanny or manny is a long-term extension of the parents’ morals and values, provides stability and consistency, and thinks about the child’s whole childhood. A nanny’s focus is the care of the children. A job description wouldn’t necessarily include all of the duties listed below. For example, if a child doesn’t nap, is under the age of two (especially a newborn baby), and is in the nanny’s care all day, the job description duties list should be decreased accordingly. A typical list might include the following:
Other duties that are sometimes included in the job description if the nanny works full time include:
The daily hours for a nanny normally range from eight to twelve hours per day. If the days are longer, the nanny is probably working part time (two to three days per week). A nanny’s work routine is structured entirely around the needs and ages of the children in their care. Some of our nannies work from noon to 8:00 p.m. to offer parents support with after-school pick-ups, homework, and bedtime routines.
Other nannies work from 7:00 a.m. or 8 a.m. until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. to support parents with younger preschool-aged children. A nanny’s day can include taking children to local age- appropriate activities (such as the zoo, library, museum, playground, sensory class, music lesson, sports, and other after-school activities), preparing meals, and helping with bedtimes and school drop-offs and pickups. They usually transport the children using a bakfiets (a kind of cargo bike), public transport, or tram. Sometimes older children will cycle by themselves alongside the nanny.
Our clients are usually busy working professionals and expat families living in or who have recently relocated to the Netherlands. They often require the support of a nanny, as they don’t have extended family to lean on. We have quite a few expat families who require part-time support outside of school and daycare hours. We work with a broad range of high-net-worth individuals from a range of countries. Lifestyle-wise, they are often very busy with work and travel and are looking for qualified, passionate nannies to support their family and their child’s development.
The concept of nannying is becoming more common in the Netherlands. There is ongoing education and information needed on nannying and its function as a legitimate profession, but the majority of our clients hold the profession in high esteem and recognize its importance within the family setting and the development and care of their children. Many of our nannies possess childcare qualifications and are passionate about child development and teaching philosophies (Montessori, Steiner, etc.), which sets the nanny industry apart from casual babysitting.
I find the working weeks and hours to be shorter in the Netherlands. It is very unusual to hire a newborn care specialist in the Netherlands, but they are much more common in the US. There are fewer training opportunities and support groups in the Netherlands, although this is changing. There is a considerably larger international population in Amsterdam than in the rest of the Netherlands, so families here have different prior experiences with the profession.
Being a nanny in the Netherlands is a great way to maintain a healthy work-life balance and continue developing in your career. Nannies here often spend a lot of their working days outside and in nature, enjoying plenty of activities (especially in Amsterdam) and lots of parks, green spaces, and safe cycling routes throughout the country.
There is a Facebook group for nannies. Local nannies also organize regular meetups and playdates. There is a great community. At Holgate Nannies, we offer ongoing personal and professional development to our nannies to facilitate networking, knowledge sharing, and career growth. It’s really important to raise the standards of the industry and support nannies and families when needed.
I love the nanny profession.
And I want others to love it as well.
-Lauren Holgate
