# How to read a childcare GGD inspection report _Learn to read a Dutch childcare inspection report: check the location, inspection date, findings and follow-up, then ask the provider useful questions._ Source: https://opvango.com/guides/ggd-rapport-kinderopvang-lezen The most useful way to read a GGD childcare inspection report is to check the location and inspection date, read the overview, find the specific observations and look for follow-up. Then write down your unanswered questions. A report supports your research; it cannot predict your child's experience on every future day. ## 1. Make sure you have the right location Find the nursery, after-school care location or childminder in the Dutch childcare register, the LRK. DUO explains that registration details and inspection reports are available there. Match the registration number and type of care with the offer you received. An organisation may operate several locations. A report about after-school care does not automatically describe the nursery in the same building. Save the link and note the inspection date. The visit and publication may have different dates. If you have only seen a summary, open the full report too. When a document is missing or will not open, ask the provider which public version belongs to this location. ## 2. Start with the purpose of the inspection An annual inspection, a pre-registration inspection and a follow-up investigation serve different purposes. Read the section on the investigation's scope first. Which questions did the inspector examine? Was this a broad visit or a check on an earlier finding? A shorter report is not automatically better or worse than a longer one. The government's current report templates include an overview, observations and advice to the municipality. Use these sections to navigate the document. Older reports may have a different layout. Do not interpret an empty section or an item that was not examined as a positive assessment. ## 3. Read the explanation behind a conclusion A heading or brief summary rarely tells the whole story. For an issue, find the actual observation: what was seen, which requirement or arrangement was relevant, and what evidence supported the finding? Note the page number so that you can ask a precise question later. - Does the finding concern interactions with children, staffing, documents or the premises? - Which situation is described, and when did it occur? - Does the report identify the items that were assessed? - Does it refer to an earlier finding that you can check in a previous report? You do not need to interpret every legal reference yourself. Separate the parts you understand from the ones that need explanation. One clear question about a particular passage usually produces a more useful answer than asking whether the childcare is good. ## 4. Check the provider's response and later developments The GGD inspects on behalf of the municipality and advises it; the municipality is responsible for enforcement. Advice in a report therefore does not prove that a municipal decision has already been implemented. Read the provider's response if included and look for a later inspection. For a previous shortcoming, ask what changed, when the change started and how it was checked. A conversation can clarify the situation, but it does not replace a published follow-up report or decision. If the position remains unclear, ask the inspector or municipality where the current public information can be found. ## 5. Turn the report into practical questions Imagine that an older report mentions a staffing problem and a later one describes improvement. Ask how cover is organised during illness, who your child will meet when starting and how parents learn about staffing changes. This connects the historical finding with the days you actually need. Another example: a report describes a positive observation in a toddler group, while you are looking for care for a baby. Ask how the baby group works and whether you can see it during a visit. You do not need to judge one group solely on observations from another. - Which passage would I like someone to explain? - What has changed since then, and which document can I read? - Who should I contact if I have a concern after my child starts? ## 6. Compare the content rather than inventing a score Record the same information for every candidate: care type, inspection date, investigation purpose, relevant finding, follow-up and outstanding question. Keep unknown answers visible. Counts of shortcomings alone do not make a reliable ranking: the topics examined and circumstances can differ. Combine the report with a [visit and practical question checklist](/guides/rondleiding-kinderopvang-vragen-checklist), plus arrangements for days, travel and costs. An attractive room or positive review is not a substitute for the report either. You are building a reasoned choice for your own family. ## 7. Use Opvango to start your research Use [childcare search](/search/daycare) to collect possible locations. Read the GGD information where it is available on a profile and check the original documents in the LRK. Missing information is not a statement about quality. Confirm your required days with the provider: an inspection report does not guarantee a current vacancy. To compare different forms of care, start with [comparing childcare](/kinderopvang-vergelijken). Keep your own dated notes alongside the location details. This makes it easier to remember what you checked and which answers informed your decision. ## Sources and date checked The registration and inspection information was checked on 8 October 2026. Read the original sources for current explanations: - [DUO: the Dutch childcare register](https://duo.nl/particulier/landelijk-register-kinderopvang.jsp) - [Dutch government: childcare quality and supervision](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/familie-zorg-en-gezondheid/kinderopvang/kwaliteitseisen-kinderopvang-en-peuterspeelzalen) - [Dutch government: inspection templates from 1 July 2026](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/2020/01/01/rapporten-met-modelformulieren-voor-beoordeling-kwaliteit-kinderopvangorganisaties-en-buitenschoolse-en-gastouderopvang-2020) ### Where can I find a childcare inspection report? Find the location in the Dutch childcare register, the LRK, and check its care type and registration number. Open the full report even if you first read a summary on a profile. ### Does a report without shortcomings guarantee safety? No. Check what was assessed and when. A report describes an investigation and does not guarantee every future day of care. ### Should I immediately rule out a provider with an old shortcoming? First examine the finding, the provider response and any later inspections. Ask what changed. You should not ignore uncertainty, but an older issue needs context. ### What does advice to enforce the rules mean? The GGD advises the municipality about enforcement. That advice is not itself an implemented municipal decision. Ask where current follow-up information is available. ### Can I turn reports into a score for each provider? Ranking locations by the number of findings can be misleading. Compare the purpose, date, content and follow-up instead, and ask each provider the same relevant questions. ### Does an inspection report show current vacancies? No. Ask the provider about your child’s age, intended start date and required days directly.