A crèche in the Limburg municipality of Bilzen has had its operating permit suspended for three months admit complaints of malpractice. One of the complaints lodged against the ‘Het Warm Nestje’ crèche comes from parents that allege that their child was force-fed there.
The Flemish Children’s Agency received a complaint about the crèche in the summer and several shortcomings were found there during the inspection that followed. Both the parents of the children at the crèche and the municipal authorities in Bilzen have been informed about the temporary closure. The municipal authorities are now trying to find alternatives childcare arrangements for the 24 children that attend the crèche.
The Mayor of Bilzen Bruno Steegen (local list) told VRT News that “We received a letter from the Children’s Agency on late on Friday informing us that that the crèche’s operating permit has been suspended for 3 months. There has been a whole investigation and we will also talk to the crèche manager today. As a local authority, we now have to ensure that the 24 children who attended the crèche are found a place elsewhere. We are working on this now and it is our first priority”.
“It's not easy because there are waiting lists everywhere. I understand that the manageress of the crèche will also have a meeting with the Children’s Agency tomorrow.”
Last weekend, the municipal authorities in Bilzen received several calls from concerned parents that now have to look for another crèche. The local authority in Bilzen will now first of all check whether temporary additional childcare capacity can be created at existing childcare facilities within Bilzen. Crèches are also being sought in neighbouring municipalities.