Good news for young families on and around the VUB Health Campus in Jette. The VUB childcare centre will add 25 new subsidised childcare places, with fees based on household income. The expansion is scheduled for 2027 and follows a successful application under the Flemish Agency for Growing Up's call for innovative childcare projects. VUB is the only project in Brussels selected through this funding round.
The initiative aims to support innovative childcare projects that not only create additional places but also strengthen collaboration between childcare providers and partners in education, health, social care and employment. The goal is to make childcare more accessible, inclusive and better aligned with the everyday needs of children and families.
The VUB project builds on the existing Kindercampus Theodoor in Jette. Here, the childcare centre, the House of the Child (Huis van het Kind) and partners including UZ Brussel already work closely together to support the development and wellbeing of young children and their families.
The 25 additional places will allow this collaboration to grow further. The expansion will create more opportunities for accessible family support, parent-child activities, improved outreach to vulnerable families, and an integrated pedagogical approach in which childcare, care services and family support reinforce one another.
The project represents more than an increase in childcare capacity. It creates additional income-based subsidised places, making high-quality childcare accessible to more families. Staff and students at VUB and UZ Brussel will also benefit from a stronger childcare offer on and around the campus.
With this project, VUB reaffirms its commitment to connecting education, research and public service with the needs of society. Kindercampus Theodoor continues to grow as a place where education, healthcare, social support and family policy come together to make a meaningful difference for children and their families.
The additional childcare places will open during 2027.
New subsidised innovative childcare places
At the end of 2025, the Flemish Agency for Growing Up launched a call for applications to create new innovative childcare places with income-based subsidies. The initiative encourages new partnerships between childcare providers and organisations in education, health, social care and employment. By working together more closely, providers can respond more effectively to the needs of children and families, making childcare more accessible, inclusive and closely connected to everyday life.
Interest in the call was strong. Organisations submitted applications for more than 4,000 childcare places. Following the selection process, 605 new subsidised innovative childcare places were approved across Flanders and Brussels.
The selected projects can now move forward with implementation. All approved childcare places must be operational by 2029.