Another crèche ordered to close its doors after complaints of "unacceptable behaviour"
The child care centre "De Biejoekes" in Zoersel in the Kempen area (Antwerp province) has been forced to close temporarily by the Flemish children's agency Kind en Gezin after fresh complaints.
Kind en Gezin received complaints and reports that gave rise to serious concerns last week. The physical and psychological integrity of the toddlers was at risk, was the official conclusion. In other words, it was feared that the children's safety could not be guaranteed.
Nele Wouters of Kind en Gezin explains: "It's about excessive punishment, shouting at the children, and brutal or unacceptable behaviour." Children were reportedly put in a separate dark room as a punishment.
Kind en Gezin talked to the manager of the crèche but this did not immediately yield the result they had hoped for, which led to the permit being suspended. If the owner cannot give guarantees about necessary changes, the crèche may lose its permit on a permanent basis. Kind en Gezin will monitor the situation in the coming days and weeks before making a final decision.
Last week, a crèche in Langemark (near Ieper in West Flanders) already had its permit suspended, bringing the tally to seven this year. This is compared to twelve for the whole of 2021. The number of complaints is growing, which leads to extra checks.