Frequently asked questions about child registration and placement

We try to make our placement policy as simple as possible for you as a parent. Below please find the answers to a number of frequently asked questions. If your specific question does not appear here, please feel free to send an e-mail to planning@skon.nl or call (0347) 359 533. Skon's Planning department can be reached on workdays from 8.30 a.m. to 17.00 p.m.

Questions:

 

1. I did not yet receive confirmation that I am on the waiting list. Is this possible?
2. When do I hear whether there is a place available for my child?
3. Is there any point in calling often to improve my chances of a place?
4. I refused an offer for day care. Am I now at the bottom of the waiting list?
5. Can I use my first child's registration date for my second child?
6. My child is on the waiting list, but I would like to revise the application data. Is that possible?
7. Why does skon offer places prior to the starting date that I indicated?
8. Why doesn't my child automatically receive a place at the out-of-school care if he/she advances from day care?
9. Is there a minimum age requirement for my child's registration for out-of-school care?
10. My child has already been placed but I would like additional days or I would like to change days. How can I indicate this?
11. Before I decide to sign the contract I would like to visit the day care centre. Is this possible?
12. What should I do if I have signed the contract for day care?
13. Is there an acclimatisation period before my child starts at the day care centre?
14. Do I have to adhere to the notice period?
15. I would like to terminate my contract but the placement has not yet been accepted. What should I do?
16. How do I pay the monthly expenses for child care?
17. Do I receive an annual statement?
18. If we go on holiday, do I still have to continue paying for day care?
19. Is food included in the price?
20. Are nappies included in the price?

 

Answers:

1. I did not yet receive confirmation that I am on the waiting list. Is this possible?
Your registration will be confirmed by e-mail within five working days. If you have not received confirmation of your registration within five working days, please feel free to call the Planning department. We will then send you a confirmation as quickly as possible.

2. When do I hear whether there is a place available for my child?
We aim to offer you a place no later than three months prior to the desired starting date. If we expect that a place will not become available for a longer period, we will make every effort to inform you on time (approximately 3 months before the desired starting date).

3. Is there any point in calling often to improve my chances of a place?
You are free to call us, but we always contact you ourselves once we have a place and your child is next on the waiting list. We plan strictly according to the waiting list and the corresponding waiting list criteria.

4. I refused an offer for day care. Am I now at the bottom of the waiting list?
No, your initial registration date will be kept until we can meet your desired days for day care. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to offer you a place again in the short term.

5. Can I use my first child's registration date for my second child?
No, each child should be registered separately.

6. My child is on the waiting list, but I would like to revise the application data. Is that possible?
If, on further consideration, you would like to be on the waiting list for different days or additional days or perhaps other locations, you can notify the Planning department by e-mail (planning@skon.nl). Please state your child's name and date of birth as well as your home address.

7. Why does skon offer places prior to the starting date that I indicated?
We do so because you are next on the waiting list. We would like to give you an opportunity for a place that would otherwise be given to the parent who appears below you on the waiting list but would like day care sooner. Of course it is up to you whether you make use of the place that has been offered. If you do not make use of the place with an earlier starting date, you continue to appear on the waiting list with your original registration date and the place goes to a parent who appears below you on the waiting list.

8. Why doesn't my child automatically receive a place at the out-of-school care if he/she advances from day care?
It is impossible to provide advancement for a child for a 12-year period. Therefore, day care and out-of-school care are planned separately. Moreover, when registering for day care parents frequently do not know which school their child will be attending once he/she turns 4. After all, the possibility of placement at an out-of-school care also depends on the school.

9. Is there a minimum age requirement for my child's registration for out-of-school care?
Your child can be registered from birth.

10. My child has already been placed but I would like additional days or I would like to change days. How can I indicate this?
You can revise this via the website of your day care centre. However, we cannot guarantee the possibility of a change or addition of days. Changing days is often impossible since advancement has preference over change. See also waiting list criteria.

11. Before I decide to sign the contract I would like to visit the day care centre. Is this possible?
Of course this is possible. You can contact the location manager by phone. The contact addresses and telephone numbers of our locations can be found on the list of day care centres.

12. What should I do if I have signed the contract for day care?
Placement is final as soon as we have received your signed copy of the contract. The employee from the Planning department confirms this both to you and to the manager of the day care centre. Several weeks prior to the starting date of the day care contract, the manager of your day care centre will invite you for an intake interview. All relevant topics before the start of your child at the day care centre will be discussed in this interview.

13. Is there an acclimatisation period before my child starts at the day care centre?
An intake interview will be held with the manager of the day care centre several weeks prior to the start of the day care. At this intake interview, we will look with you at the best way to make your child feel at home at skon. Acclimatisation days can be planned prior to the starting date of the contract and are free of charge.

14. Do I have to adhere to the notice period?
We employ a two-month notice period, in which the contract can be terminated as of the 15th or the last day of the month. This period must be strictly observed. The notice period also applies for notice of only one or several days.

15. I would like to terminate my contract but the placement has not yet been accepted. What should I do?
This involves a cancellation. The terms of payment stipulate what the cancellation costs. This was sent to you with your contract by post. For cancellations, we always charge a minimum fee of €80 for administrative costs.

16. How do I pay the monthly expenses for child care?
Payment takes place monthly through mandatory automatic debt collection. We collect the amount owed from your account monthly, between the 15th and 25th of the relevant day care month. We do not send you a monthly invoice. Your fixed monthly fee is stated in our contract documents.
The Tax and Customs Administration pays the child care allowance monthly in advance. You receive the child care allowance on the 20th of the month for the following month.

17. Do I receive an annual statement?
Yes, we send you the annual statement, the overview of all payments from the past year, in the month of January of the following year. With the exception of the contracts based on a ticket strip, this is also used as the annual statement for the Tax and Customs Administration.

18. If we go on holiday, do I still have to continue paying for child care?
Yes, we employ a monthly or annual rate and there is no possibility for reimbursement of expenses. However, we ask you to notify the day care centre if your child will not be attending. The days can be swapped if possible, within a two-week period. Days should be swapped in consultation with the pedagogical employee or the manager of the day care centre.

19. Is food included in the price?
Yes, except if special diet food or very specific nutritional wishes are involved. We provide food according to the guidelines of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Of course you can provide breast milk. In consultation with the manager of the day care centre, it is possible to come and feed your baby yourself.

20. Are nappies included in the price?
Yes, you do not have to pay any extra expenses for nappies or bring your own.