Childcare centres can apply for wage subsidy for room assistants

The third round of a subsidy scheme for room assistants in childcare opens on 2 November 2026 and runs until 27 November. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) opened the scheme to ease the workload of early years practitioners and help childcare centres keep their people.

Why it matters

• Childcare centres can get a contribution towards the wage costs of a room assistant.
• The budget for the 2026 application period is €1,775,000.
• For a contract of 36 hours a week, the subsidy is at most €10,056 per room assistant.
• The room assistant needs an employment contract of at least one year.

A room assistant can take over household tasks and light care work from the early years professional, according to the ministry. It says this can ease the workload and help centres keep staff.

The current scheme is aimed at centres whose room assistants are still training. This can be practical learning in secondary vocational education (mbo) or a work placement (praktijkleerplaats).

The maximum applies to a 36-hour week. Most room assistants have smaller contracts, the ministry notes, so the subsidy per person is usually lower.