RaisingAmsterdam | expat parent community in Amsterdam

Babysitters, nannies and child-related services, urgent SOS help, parent meetups, and plain-English guides to the Dutch system — for internationals raising children in Amsterdam and the wider Netherlands, written by a childcare professional based in Amsterdam.

Guides to the Dutch system

Childcare & daycare — KDV, peuteropvang, VVE, childcare costs and the kinderopvangtoeslag allowance
Your child's health — free insurance for under-18s, the huisarts and the consultatiebureau
Midwife & kraamzorg — the verloskundige, postnatal home care and what it costs
Primary school in Amsterdam — basisschool, leerplicht and Amsterdam's joint registration
Paperwork & waiting lists — registering a birth, BSN and DigiD for newcomers
Child & baby first aid — kinder-EHBO courses in English
Swimming & the zwemdiploma — the Zwem-ABC diplomas
Childcare in the Netherlands — the long-form printable guide

Community

Listings — babysitters, nannies and services offered by and for local parents
SOS board — urgent, last-minute requests for childcare help
Meetups — in-person gatherings for expat parents and their children
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Practical orientation for parents who did not grow up in the Dutch system — not official or medical advice. Rules change; each guide links to the authoritative Dutch source.

Meet expat parents in Amsterdam

Discover local meetups where international parents and their children can connect, share experiences and feel at home in Amsterdam.