Bringing up Toddlers in Belgium

As maternity leave in Belgium is relatively short, a high proportion of children have already been cared for outside the home for many months by the time they are classified as "toddlers".

Belgians have comprehensive government-supported childcare facilities. Organisation and provision of childcare varies slightly according to community, but essentially two organisations supervise and set the national standards. The services they provide are similar.

These are: 

• Kind en Gezin (K & G) (in Dutch) for Flanders and Brussels
• Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance (ONE) for Wallonia and all other areas including Brussels. 

Toddler Health

ONE and K & G take responsibility for pre-natal care and for the care of children under seven years of age. The precise approach and services offered may vary slightly by community. Anyone who has given birth in Belgium will already be familiar with the services offered and how to access them.

The role of the travailleurs medico-social (TMS)

ONE has a team of child-care experts known as travailleurs medico-social (TMS) who are there to help the young family with any medical or social problems. They can be consulted at medical centres or will make home visits if requested to do so. They have professional qualifications as either nurses or in the field of social work. Their role is varied and includes advice about dietary issues, clarification of medical consultations, and support with any concerns regarding the child's development. They are also able to help and advise parents on how to obtain the relevant social security benefits. If the parents have emotional or psychological problems the TMS can also offer help and support.

Typically parents with very young children will see their TMS weekly or more often if required. This frequency tends to reduce as the child gets older. In more rural areas consultations may be less frequent.

At birth each child is issued with a record book known as the Carnet de l'Enfant and this should be taken along to any consultation about the child's health or well being. It contains slips (vignettes) for vaccinations due in the first 18 months of the child's life.

Children can be seen by their own GP for minor ailments but will be regularly checked by a paediatrician or child medical expert under the arrangements provided by the ONE. Their services are free of charge. They will verify that growth and general physical development are progressing normally.

K & G offers services free of charge to expectant parents and families with children under the age of three. These include information evenings, home visits by a district nurse, support and guidance.

• For further information: Click here

Vaccinations

ONE oversees pre-school vaccinations (free of charge) and undertakes hearing and sight tests. Any observations and dates of vaccinations given will be noted in the Carnet de l'Enfant by the appropriate healthcare professional. Under the K & G there are over 300 health centres in Flanders where children can be vaccinated free of charge.

For children who have particular medical problems, a ONE representative (a doctor or TMS) will refer the parent to their own GP who will oversee care in conjunction with other medical facilities such as the local hospital and/or specialists.

Mobile Clinics

In rural areas there is a system of cars sanitaires run by ONE. In essence they are mobile clinics which travel from village to village at pre-arranged times and allow children to be seen by a TMS on a regular basis.

All of these services are ultimately subsidised and supervised by ONE but may be run at a local level by the municipal authority or an independent association. The local municipality will be able to provide full details of how and where to access services as well as lists of childcare facilities in the area.

Subsidised Childcare

Parents have a number of childcare options catering for newborns up to the age of three, all of which are controlled and subsidised by ONE or K & G. This type of childcare is very popular so waiting lists can be long and the application procedure should start in the fourth month of pregnancy when prospective parents will be asked to specify how many days a week their child will attend a given facility and the anticipated start date. Confirmation of a place is usually received in the seventh month of pregnancy. Priority for places is given to children of parents who work full-time. 

As pre-primary education is provided completely free of charge from age two and a half, many children leave subsidised childcare at this age. However, parents can continue to receive tax benefits for childcare costs incurred up to the age of three.

Crèches/nurseries: from birth to three years

In most instances nurseries are run by the local community or Public Social Welfare Centres (Centre Public d'Action Sociale, CPAS).

Prospective parents may visit the crèches and nurseries and ask questions regarding facilities, staffing levels and qualifications, what languages are spoken, whether or not food and nappies are included, and so on.

Parents pay approximately 25 percent of the cost but there are tax benefits which mean that in some cases this expenditure can be recovered. Parents placing more than one child in a crèche are often granted reductions on fees.

Crèches are open long hours, usually from 07:00-18:00 and they stay open all year round closing only at weekends and on national holidays. They are normally required to cater for between 18 and 48 children with trained staff.

Playgroups/childcare organisations: from eighteen months to three years

Usually known as pregardiennat, these establishments operate similarly to crèches with between 18 and 48 places and trained staff. Opening hours are the same as for crèches.

Pre-primary education

Free pre-primary school facilities are provided for children who have reached age two and a half. There are no formal lessons and everything is done with an emphasis on play. Where places are limited, priority is given to mothers working full-time. These pre-schools are often attached to a primary school. Attendance is not compulsory but it is very popular (it is cheaper than other childcare alternatives). By age five 99 percent of children are in school.

Pre-schools are open in term-time only from approximately 08:30-15:30 with a half day on Wednesdays. Most offer extended hours at a cost.

Childcare in the Private Sector

There are other organisations which give further childcare options for newborns up to six years old, when compulsory primary education begins. Although these organisations are still controlled by ONE or the K & G, they receive no subsidies and set their own fees.

Independent Crèches/Nurseries: from birth to three years

Essentially run along similar lines to the state facilities, but places may be easier to find. Part-time places (up to four hours a day) are common at these organisations. Most are known as Crèches parentales and are staffed partly by professionals and partly by parents. They offer a maximum of 14 places.

Child houses (Maison Communale d'Acceuil de L'Enfance): from birth to six years

Usually catering for children full or part-time with between 12 and 24 places, they must be staffed by suitably qualified people. They open similar hours to crèches, that is at least 10 hours a day.

Registered Childminders: from birth to six years

These are people who provide care for a child day or night in their own home. They may be affiliated to a crèche or a child house or be completely independent. They can have up to four children in their care at any one time. This figure includes any of their own children less than three years of age who are also in their care.

Other independent facilities: from birth to six years

Some of the international schools offer care and programmes for pre-school children.

• Consult the European Council for International Schools (ECIS) for more details

There are also a number of privately run pre-schools and playgroups. Typically these are aimed at children aged between two and a half and four and children normally attend on a part-time basis.

Babysitting services

As one might expect, informal babysitting services are often organised among friends and neighbours. Many students also offer their services at reasonable rates.

Ask locally for recommendations or try LiLi  (in French) a free small-ad service used throughout Belgium.

Mother & Toddler Groups

There are some informal mother and baby/toddler groups which meet regularly. Many have been set up and are attended principally by expatriate families. This is simply because many Belgian children are already in pre-primary education by the age of two and a half.

The TMS will know about local groups. Alternatively ask at the local Town Hall (Maison Communale/Stadhuis).

• The Brussels Childbirth Trust (BCT) is also a good source of information and has a list of mother and toddler groups in the Brussels region
• Residents in Antwerp can contact MOMS, a parent/toddler group for English speakers
  e-mail

Out and About with Toddlers

Facilities for families are generally good as Belgium has worked hard in recent years to boost tourist figures. There are plenty of places to visit with children. If using public transport the Belgian rail network (B-rail, run by the SNCB) offers discounted travel plus entry to many top attractions. Children under 12 travel free off-peak or at a 50 percent reduction at peak times.

• For full details (in English): Click here 

The official Belgian Tourist site  has extensive listings in English of family-friendly attractions from museums to leisure centres.

Further Information

• AngloINFO INFOrmation page Having a Baby in Belgium
• Community Help Service  English speaking support for families relocating to Belgium
• Public Social Welfare Centres (CPAS/OMCW) 
• Brussels site has links to parent and toddler groups as well as details of crèches
• Brussels British Community Association has details of social events including mother and toddler groups
• American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium lists groups for expatriates including mums with young children