Complaints

Complaint handling

Are you dissatisfied with something? We are very sorry to hear that. We would love to hear from you about how we can improve!

Do you have a complaint about the behavior of one of our employees? Please first discuss this with the person concerned, possibly together with the location manager. You can find the location manager's details under Locations. In most cases, we can resolve the issue together.

If you cannot reach an agreement or if you want your complaint to be formally recorded, please fill in our complaint form. Your complaint will then be sent directly to our complaints officer, who will ensure that it is dealt with carefully and quickly. 

If possible, fill in the form within two months of the complaint arising. Click on the ‘Read more’ button below the form for more information and our complaints procedure.

 

Submit a complaint

Complaint form

Explanation of complaints procedure

Complaints procedure

At Espira, we do everything we can to provide children with a safe, loving, and educational environment every day. It is important to us that parents are satisfied with our childcare and our cooperation with them. However, there may be occasions when you are not happy with something. Please let us know—your feedback helps us to continue learning and improving.

Before you submit a complaint

First discuss your dissatisfaction with the person directly involved, such as the educational professional or the location manager. In many cases, we can find a solution together.

If you do not want to or cannot discuss this directly, or if no satisfactory solution can be found, you can submit a formal complaint using the complaint form. We can only process complaints submitted using this form.

What to include in your complaint

Fill in all the fields so that we can properly assess your complaint. Briefly describe what happened and what your desired solution is. If necessary, add an attachment, such as an email or document that explains the complaint. Preferably submit your complaint within two months of the incident. The sooner we know what is going on, the better we can help.

Handling your complaint

Our complaints officer monitors the process and ensures that your complaint is handled carefully. Once your complaint has been received:

  • you will receive written confirmation;
  • the complaints officer will investigate exactly what happened;
  • if necessary, those involved will be interviewed to hear both sides of the story.
  • Within six weeks, you will receive a written response with our assessment and any follow-up steps. If more time is needed, we will let you know in good time.

Special situations

Does your complaint concern suspected child abuse or inappropriate behavior? In that case, we always follow the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Reporting Code first.

What happens to complaints?

All written complaints are included (anonymously) in our annual complaints report. We discuss this with the parent committee and send it to the Municipal Health Service (GGD) supervisor, as required by law. In this way, we continue to work on improvement and transparency.

Not satisfied with the handling of your complaint?

If you disagree with the outcome or the way your complaint has been handled, you can contact:

  • Childcare Complaints Desk
  • Free advice, information, and mediation. See: www.klachtenloket-kinderopvang.nl
  • Or submit your complaint directly to: The Childcare Disputes Committee. This is an independent committee that issues binding rulings. See www.degeschillencommissie.nl
  • You can go directly to the Disputes Committee if:
    you have not received a response from us within six weeks, or
    it is not reasonable to first submit a complaint to Espira (for example, if the person to whom the complaint relates is also responsible for handling it).

Espira compiles an annual complaints report each calendar year, as required by the Childcare Act (Article 1.57b). This report includes information on how our complaints procedure has been brought to the attention of parents, how many complaints have been received, the nature of those complaints, and what measures have been taken. If no complaints have been submitted, no report will be produced.