The number of children in some form of organised childcare – a creche, child-minder or after-school club – has reached its highest level since 2011, according to new figures from the tax office and social affairs ministry.

In the second quarter of this year, some 736,000 children were placed in formal childcare, a rise of 56,000 on 2016, the figures show. The rise is due to more women going out to work as the economy grows.

Women in the Netherlands now work an average of 26 hours a week.

Caretaker social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher said it is ‘fantastic’ that so many working mothers are making use of ‘good quality, affordable childcare’.

‘The children learn a lot through play and, of course, can have fun with other children. They will benefit from this in the future and it is good for their language skills and development,’ the minister said.

There are now 7,643 formally recognised childcare options in the Netherlands, a rise of 628 on a year ago. However, the number of registered childminders has fallen, the figures show.