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Everyone should be able to
contribute to society
Zo also has a day-care centre in the Tweede Kamer (the House
of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament), Zo in de Kleine
Kamer (‘Zo in the little room’). As president of the Tweede
Kamer, Gerdi Verbeet was able to witness the arrival of Zo in
de Kleine Kamer at first hand. An important development in
her opinion. ‘Young parents should also be able to be members
of parliament.’
This is not the first time you have been to our day-care
centre. Why is this place so important to you?
‘I witnessed the arrival of the centre first hand. At that time
there had been quite a lot of debate about the composition
of parliament. I cannot emphasize enough how important
it is to have a mix of young and old, men and women in the
Tweede Kamer. Young parents should also be able to be a
members of parliament. This is why it is so important to have
childcare nearby. It took quite a lot of effort, but I think it is a
wonderful centre.’
What arrangements did you make for the care of your
children?
When we were little, my grandparents looked after us, while
my mother went to work full time. And I did exactly the same.
My mother had just retired around the time my children were
Childcare
reduces pressure
on parents
Han Polman, mayor of Bergen op Zoom and Arjen van
der Weegen, alderman in that municipality, both agree
that, in our changing society, childcare is becoming more
and more important. The mayor even thinks there would
be a market for 24/7 day care and the alderman strongly
believes in tailor-made policies for the youth.
Neither of them doubt the importance of childcare.
‘Children benefit tremendously from attending day care,’
says Van der Weegen. ‘My nine-year-old daughter is still
in contact with one of her friends at day care, even now
when they are not in the same school and no longer live
in the same neighbourhood. Already, several studies have
shown that childcare benefits a child’s development, both
socially and educationally.’ Mayor Polman noticed that same
development with his children, now 10, 12, 14 and 16 years
old, when they attended day care and after-school care. ‘I
remember that during Road Safety they were taught about
little, so she looked after them, together with my in-laws.
When the children were little, I combined being a mother
with university and later on with my job. They never went to
day care, but as I thought it important for them to learn how
to play with other children, I did send them to a playgroup.’
How do you feel about the respective responsibilities of the
childcare and the parents?
‘These two worlds should be in line with each other, they
should match. Parents should be closely involved with their
child’s day-care centre and school. And it is important that
the teachers at the day-care centre inform the parents about
their child’s day. Some parents would prefer to follow their
child’s every move on camera, something I do not agree
with. However, it is important to know if your child has had a
good day, or if he or she cried a lot and has or has not eaten
properly.’
Did you ever come across children from less privileged homes
during your years in education?
‘I have worked as a teacher in a neighbourhood that would
nowadays be regarded as a underprivileged area. Some
families did not have enough money to do laundry or buy new
clothes and as a result some children did not always smell too
clean. The chances of a child being excluded because of that
are high. The same goes for children who cannot come along
on school trips. I would feel really bad if school trips became
something only for children with parents who can afford
them.’
What would you wish for the children who find themselves in
these situations?
‘Childhood is when you should experience as many different
things as possible In order to find out where your interests
lie and what your talents are. I grew up during a time when
all children living in the municipality of Amsterdam could
visit museums and have music lessons, virtually free of
charge. Swimming lessons were also available to all children.
I understand that making swimming lessons compulsory is
difficult nowadays, as about 75% of the children in a class
already know how to swim. But I do hope that children
in primary and secondary school do not end up with a
disadvantage that cannot be overcome at a later stage.’
traffic rules and how to cross the street safely. We thought
this was a wonderful addition to their upbringing at home.’
Efficient and sustainable
Unfortunately, the number of children attending day care
is decreasing, but the mayor still sees some opportunities:
‘I think childcare needs to step away from its traditional,
more isolated role and should find its place in the chain
of youth organisations. By having childcare work together
with, for instance, partners in the area of sport and culture,
a new concept that centres around children will evolve. An
additional advantage of this collaboration will be the more
efficient and sustainable way in which we make use of the
available means.’
Career
Despite these opportunities, the alderman does worry
about the proposed cuts in childcare. ‘Childcare should be
just as natural as bringing your child to school or taking
him to swimming lessons,’ he says. He feels that the new
plans do not take working parents into account as much
as they should. Mayor Polman fully agrees that childcare
is a necessity for any working parent. ‘Society is changing,
we need more people working to keep the economy going
and to meet the future employment deficits. Both men and
women should be given the opportunity to advance their
careers. And childcare plays a crucial role in this. Not just
as a place to drop off your child, but to reduce the pressure
on parents so that they have all the opportunity they need
At the time of this interview at the Zo centre in the
Tweede Kamer, Gerdi Verbeet was still President.
Which role could society play in preventing this?
‘It would be wonderful if we could attempt to find a
proper middle course, where people who are better off feel
responsible for those in society who, for whatever reason,
are not able to offer their children enough opportunities. We
all have this responsibility. It would help if it was the norm
to pay a little extra for a school trip, so that all children could
go along, as the whole group benefits from undertaking and
exploring things together. Giving to charity is another good
example of helping out. One of the best things about a charity
like Stichting Leergeld is that the money goes directly to a
club or organisation, so that the money cannot be used to pay
off the parents’ debts.
One final question, what are your plans for the future?
‘I hope I will be able to continue to engage in matters that
are important to me. Involving people with democracy for
instance, and working towards emancipation. In my opinion,
everyone should be able to contribute to our society.’
GERDI VERBEET was working in education when in
1994 she decided to go into politics. In 2001 she became
a member of the Tweede Kamer and in 2006 she was
elected its President. In September 2012 her presidency
came to an end. As of 1 November she is the president
of the supervisory board of Stichting Waarborgfonds
Kinderopvang (‘Childcare Guarantee Fund’).
to continue developing. In our municipality we try to work
with rotas as much as possible, thus creating a flexible
employment market. The childcare sector could respond to
this by offering 24/7 childcare.’
Tailor-made youth policies
When it comes to the future, alderman Van der Weegen sees
an important role for his municipality in supporting childcare
as a part of the chain of youth organisations. ‘For instance
through so-called “combination officers”, officials whose
job it is to integrate different sectors such as education
and sport or education and culture. Or by offering tailormade
solutions like pre-school and early school education.
I strongly believe we can abandon the generic municipal
policy and work towards tailor-made youth policies as much
as possible.’