Seven in ten daycare centres for pre-school children currently have waiting lists, and the sector is facing a serious staff shortage, according to research by jobs agency Nationale Vacaturebank.

The problem is expected to worsen if the government proceeds with its plans to make childcare virtually free, the organisation said in the AD on Wednesday.

One in three crèches currently have waiting lists for every day of the week, as do six in ten after-school clubs (BSO). Overall, the childcare sector has 7,500 vacancies.

The situation is most acute in Noord-Holland province, but it is also difficult in Zuid-Holland and Noord-Brabant, the agency said.

“We want people to work more hours, but the sector that enables this – childcare – is facing major staff shortages,” said Suzanne Malsen from Nationale Vacaturebank. “It is a sort of chicken-and-egg situation.”

Pay rates have increased from an average of €2,047 in the lowest pay scale in 2019 to €2,539 last year, in an effort to make working in the daycare sector more attractive.

Nevertheless, trade union federation CNV has calculated that 275,000 children could be without a place at either daycare or after-school clubs by 2034.

“The plan to make daycare free is a nice idea, but it will only increase demand and exacerbate the staff shortage,” Malsen said. “You have to be able to offer every child a place, and that is not going to happen.”

Government figures suggest that 15% of parents have to wait at least three months for a daycare place.