Support for swimming lessons often fails to cover costs for disabled children

Disabled girl sitting in special chair and enjoying the water procedure in the swimming pool - Credit: - License: All Rights Reserved Health Politics Business Friday, 9 October 2026 - 06:30

A study conducted by the Mulier Instituut has stated that existing financial support for sport and swimming lessons for children with disabilities often does not cover the actual costs or is difficult for parents to access.

Adapted swimming lessons can be more expensive than regular lessons. “The reimbursement they receive does not cover the cost of the swimming lessons," Mirjam Stuij of the Mulier Institute said to NOS. For this reason, some families fall through an income-based gap. Parents may have substantial additional costs related to their child's disability, leaving them with little disposable income, but their household income can still be too high to qualify for financial assistance.

Another issue is availability. Suitable swimming lessons are not always available locally. Families may have to travel to another municipality to find appropriate lessons, but financial support from their own municipality may not be usable there.

Stuij stressed that obtaining a swimming diploma is particularly important for children with disabilities. “If my child falls into a ditch, I want them to be able to save themselves. I think we can all understand that very well in the Netherlands,” she said.

Finally, the application process itself is a barrier. Parents are often expected to take the initiative to find and apply for different schemes. The Mulier research says this can be particularly difficult for parents dealing with care-related exhaustion, uncertainty about available schemes, or embarrassment about their financial situation.

The available schemes vary considerably between municipalities. Municipalities differ in their income thresholds, the amount they reimburse, and how flexibly they can deal with individual circumstances. Intermediaries can make a significant difference. These are professionals who help families navigate support schemes. They can help parents apply, combine, and find different sources of funding for appropriate swimming lessons. They sometimes also work to establish new local provision when suitable, affordable lessons are unavailable.

There has already been parliamentary discussion about the issue. The government has acknowledged that adapted swimming lessons can cost more because of specialized instructors and smaller groups. It has also acknowledged that children with disabilities face particular difficulties accessing swimming lessons and obtaining a swimming diploma.

Municipalities are not legally required to reimburse the additional costs of adapted swimming lessons through the Youth Act. The government has said municipalities decide themselves how they implement the Youth Act, and therefore it has not introduced national minimum reimbursement standards. The government does, however, allow adapted swimming lessons to receive financial support through the Youth Fund Sport & Culture.

There was also a €400,000 amendment in the 2026 sports budget to provide additional money to the Youth Fund Sport & Culture for swimming lessons for children growing up in poverty. The parliamentary proposal specifically noted that lessons for children with disabilities are more expensive because they are taught in smaller groups.

The new study is based on interviews with 11 intermediaries and is part of the SPRINTS project, a nationwide research project on the affordability of sport, including for people experiencing financial difficulties.