Raising the world’s happiest children: what the Netherlands gets right

For more than a decade, the Netherlands has consistently ranked among the top countries in UNICEF’s global child wellbeing measures. A recent report by Deutsche Welle (DW) revisits a Dutch family near Amsterdam, offering insight into the everyday conditions shaping these outcomes.

What emerges is not a single defining factor, but a cohesive system: predictable family routines, strong participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC), emotionally responsive parenting, and social policies that support children’s autonomy from an early age.

The DW report follows parents Marlot van der Stoel and Felix den Ottolander as they begin their day with their children, aged three and one.

Shared breakfast is described as a consistent and protected part of the daily routine. Rather than an aspirational practice, it is presented as a standard feature of family life.

This predictability provides children with a stable transition into the day and reflects a broader cultural emphasis on rhythm and consistency.

The report highlights high participation in early learning, with around 80 per cent of children under three attending early education settings for part of the week.

Participation is widely accepted as beneficial, supporting children’s social development, independence and sense of belonging.

Daily routines, such as cycling to early learning settings, reinforce independence and connection to community. These practices position ECEC as an integrated and valued part of childhood, rather than a workforce support alone.

Parents interviewed in the report describe a deliberate focus on allowing children to develop at their own pace.

This approach is reflected in everyday practices, including:

• encouraging children to complete tasks independently
• prioritising outdoor play in all weather conditions
• allowing space for risk-taking within safe boundaries

The emphasis remains on social and emotional development, rather than early academic outcomes.

The Dutch approach is underpinned by policy settings that support family participation.

The report highlights:

• flexible parental leave arrangements extending into early childhood
• the common practice of a dedicated caregiving day for fathers
• workplace norms that support part-time work and predictable schedules

These settings reduce time pressure on families and support sustained engagement in children’s daily lives.

Outdoor play forms a consistent part of daily life. Public spaces function as shared environments where children build familiarity and confidence within their local community.

This supports:

• physical health and wellbeing
• peer relationships
• independence and risk competence
• emotional regulation

The approach reflects a broader cultural expectation that children are capable and should be supported to explore their environment.

While the Dutch system operates within a distinct policy and cultural context, several considerations are relevant to the Australian sector.

These include:

• the role of consistent routines in supporting children’s wellbeing, aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
• the benefits of sustained participation in quality early learning environments
• the importance of workforce and policy settings that enable family engagement
• the value of play-based learning and autonomy in supporting developmental outcomes

These elements align with the National Quality Framework (NQF), particularly in relation to children’s wellbeing, relationships, and agency.

The Dutch example demonstrates the impact of alignment between policy, practice and cultural expectations.

Rather than relying on individual parenting strategies, outcomes are supported through a system that values childhood, prioritises wellbeing, and enables families to participate consistently in children’s lives.

For the ECEC sector, this reinforces the importance of integrated approaches that connect pedagogy, family engagement and policy settings.

Source: This article includes insights from Deutsche Welle (DW), “The Netherlands: Raising the world’s happiest kids” (video report by Jens von Larcher).