Childcare is a competence of the Flemish Minister for Wellbeing, Public Health, and Family. Child and Family (‘Kind en Gezin’) takes care of the implementation.

Child and Family is an agency of the Flemish Government and as such has the assignment to actively contribute to the wellbeing of young children and their families by providing services in the (policy) domains of preventive family support, childcare and adoption.

Preventive family support

Child and Family guides every (future) parent from pregnancy until the child is three years old through providing information, practical tips, support, … A team of professional nurses, family coaches and physicians are always ready for every parent and/or child. They do this by home visits, by consultations at specific consultation desks, and by the Child and Family-line. The provision of these services is free of charge.

In addition to the basic preventive family support service, Child and Family also offers a specific programme for families in need of additional support.

Childcare

Child and Family itself does not organise childcare, neither does the agency have its own day care locations, but is responsible for the implementation of the policy made by the Flemish minister for Wellbeing, Public Health and Family. The agency is responsible for both childcare for the youngest children, as well as in some cases for the childcare of pupils attending primary school, after school hours and during school holidays.

Adoption

Child and Family informs and supports everyone who wishes to adopt a child, and guides them through the entire adoption process. A specialised unit within Child and Family, namely the Flemish Centre for Adoption (Vlaams Centrum voor Adoptie), was established for the provision of this service.

Pre-primary education falls within the competence of the Flemish Minister for Education. From the age of 2,5 years old, children are entitled to free preschool education. Primary school starts at the age of 6. In Flanders preschool education is considered part of primary education and subject to the Parliamentary Act on primary education.

Childcare nor early childhood education is compulsory in Flanders; nevertheless, the government tries to reach a maximum participation of children in both.
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