The quality of childcare centres has improved for the first time in several years, the consortium for childcare research NCKO said on Thursday.

The organisation visited 50 daycare centres in 2012 and found they made large investments in quality since the last research was carried out in 2008, particularly in the areas of health and socialisation.

However, the research says the educational aspect of childcare still needs improving, with over half the centres visited being below par.

‘But this is still a turning point,’ the NCKO’s Ruben Fukkink told the Telegraaf.