My child is at home

In consultation with the school and your child's school board, you can look for a suitable solution together. Our samenwerkingsverband has a point of contact ‘thuiszitters en zorgplicht’, Tamara Dekker t.dekker@swvamsterdamdiemen.nl. She can advise you and the school on how your child can return to education, if necessary with extra support. If your child is older than 5 years and 1 month, he or she is subject to compulsory education (leerplicht). Your child then has to go to school. From that age onwards, the compulsory education officer (leerplichtambtenaar) can help you guide your child (back) to school.

When your child is 5 years and 1 month old, he or she is subject to compulsory education (leerplicht). If your child (too) often fails to attend school or does not attend school at all, school brings in the compulsory education officer (leerplichtambtenaar). You can also contact the compulsory education officer yourself. Together with you, he or she will look at the best way for your child to return to education. If necessary, with extra support or assistance. More information can be found here.

If your child is (temporarily) unable to attend school, the people around your child (such as school, compulsory education officer -leerplichtambtenaar-, het samenwerkingsverband) will work with you to find a suitable solution. This can be an individual solution, with tailor-made education at home, a solution at a care institution, or a solution together with youth care.

A number of temporary facilities are also intended for (a group of) children who, in addition to extra support, also need care. Think for example of children who are temporarily receiving treatment from youth services or who (temporarily) need such a high level of care that education is only a small part of their daily routine. They may be given a customised educational care programme, for example a temporary placement on a zorgboerderij (daycare at a farm).

Sometimes the developmental possibilities of a child are so limited that education is not (yet) possible. In that case, your child can be registered at one of the appropriate day care centres. You can then apply for an exemption for education (vrijstelling voor het onderwijs) from the compulsory education officer (leerplichtambtenaar) of the municipality of Amsterdam or Diemen. Children with an exemption are usually placed at children's day-care centres.

In the Netherlands, in general, home schooling is not regarded as complying with compulsory education (leerplicht). However, there are articles in the Compulsory Education Act by means of which a (temporary) exemption from enrolment at a school can arise. For this you can contact the compulsory education officer (leerplichtambtenaar) of the municipality where you live.

Only in special cases school will accept children to be taught at home. For example, if a child is unable to physically come to school for a longer period of time due to a chronic illness, but is able to attend classes. You can discuss the possibilities with the school or the school board of your child. Please also take a look at the website of Huisonderwijs Amsterdam (in Dutch).

In certain situations it is also possible to temporarily use a robot for home education. Our samenwerkingsverband has five robots at its disposal, which can be borrowed by a school. Are you interested in this? Then it is best to contact the school. Monique van Thienen (coordinator thuiszitters) and the school can see if the robot can be used as a tool to improve contact with the school and the return to education.

If your child doesn’t attend school or is at risk of not attending school, our point of contact concerning thuiszitters - Tamara Dekker - can advise you and the school on how your child can return to education. If necessary with extra support. Tamara Dekker can be reached via t.dekker@swvamsterdamdiemen.nl.

Has your child’s school made a request for a declaration of admissibility (toelaatbaarheidsverklaring, TLV) for special (primary) education? Then our educational advisors and social experts will also help you find the best place for your child's education and possible additional support.