Frequently asked question about DDN
I want to know more about De Drie Notenboomen
De Drie Notenboomen is the largest franchise organisation in the Dutch care sector. We develop and support small-scale residential care concepts for different target groups. Read more about De Drie Notenboomen.
We have developped four concepts: Thomashuis, Herbergier, Zorgbutler and Thomas op Kamers. View our care concepts.
Each concept is intended for a specific target group with care needs.
- Thomashuis: people with intellectual disabilities
- Herbergier: people with dementia
- Zorgbutler: older people with light to moderate care needs who continue to live independently
- Thomas op Kamers: young adults and adults with mild intellectual disabilities
You can find all information about Thomashuizen Belgium here: thomashuizen.be
You can find all information about Herbergier Germany here: herbergier.de.
Our locations are run by independent care entrepreneurs. They operate a location based on one of our concepts and receive support from De Drie Notenboomen.
Read more about becoming a care entrepreneur:
The care entrepreneurs are ultimately responsible for day-to-day care and for running the location. As the franchise organisation, De Drie Notenboomen supports them with services including coaching, training and quality systems. Read more about De Drie Notenboomen.
De Drie Notenboomen operates in the Netherlands and Belgium. We are also expanding into Germany.
The locations are small-scale and are run by committed care entrepreneurs. This allows for plenty of personal attention, familiar faces and a warm, home-like atmosphere.
We use clear agreements and systems to support quality, including ISO certification for De Drie Notenboomen and Thomashuis. Quality and client satisfaction are assessed across all concepts. We support locations through training, coaching and quality development. Read more about quality.
Yes. We are committed to good care and workable conditions for small-scale care concepts.
You can find financial information and benchmarks about De Drie Notenboomen on our financial frameworks page. Please note that we do not publish figures for individual care businesses, because these businesses are owned by the care entrepreneurs themselves.
De Drie Notenboomen aims to be transparent. You can find benchmarks and further information on our financial benchmarks page.
No. The care business belongs to the care entrepreneurs themselves. De Drie Notenboomen therefore does not publish the financial figures of individual businesses.
De Drie Notenboomen employs care entrepreneur coaches who support the care entrepreneurs, as well as colleagues working in quality, marketing and communications, training and development, property and support services. You can meet our team on the team page.
All current vacancies are listed on our vacancies page.
Vacancies at care locations can be found on the websites of our care concepts.
You can find information about privacy, cookies, our disclaimer, reporting concerns and accessibility in one place. View our privacy statement.
That depends on your question.
- Care entrepreneurship: contact Toon Biezenaar at werving@dedrienotenboomen.nl or call 0031 88 202 2900.
- General questions about living at one of our locations: visit the relevant care concept website.
- Questions about a specific location: contact the care entrepreneurs directly. Their contact details are listed on the location page.
- Property or partnership enquiries: visit our real estate page or email vastgoed@dedrienotenboomen.nl.
Like all franchisees in our care formulas, we believe it is important that everyone feels that their voice is being heard. This is particularly true in the event of disputes. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of a residential care home’s service, you should first contact the management of the location concerned. Many disputes can be resolved on the spot. If this is not the case, every Thomashuis, Herbergier, Zorgbutler and Thomas Op Kamers location has a complaints procedure which meets all requirements of the Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act 2016 (Wkkgz). If you wish to make a formal complaint, you will find the contact details of the independent arbitrator on the website of the care facility concerned.
I would like to learn more about becoming a care entrepreneur
The care entrepreneurs are ultimately responsible for day-to-day care and for running the location. As the franchise organisation, De Drie Notenboomen supports them with services including coaching, training, quality systems and advice.
Read more about De Drie Notenboomen.
Read more about care entrepreneurship:
You receive support with the main aspects of entrepreneurship, allowing you to focus on providing good care and running the location. DDN provides support and advice in the following areas:
- Care entrepreneur coaching
- Financial management
- Training and development
- Quality and quality systems. Read more about quality.
- Marketing and communications
- Property support. Read more about property.
That depends on the concept and the country. Zorgbutler in the Netherlands: you run the business independently and sign the agreement yourself. Herbergier in the Netherlands and Germany: always run by two life partners. Thomashuis in the Netherlands: always run by two life partners. Thomashuis in Belgium: run independently or by two life partners. Thomas op Kamers: run independently or by two life partners.
That depends on the concept. For Thomashuis and Herbergier, you live at the location in a private apartment in or next to the house, on the same site. For Zorgbutler and Thomas op Kamers, you live no more than 20 minutes away.
Living close to the residents creates trust and allows for more personal attention. This approach has worked well for residents, relatives, employees and care entrepreneurs for more than 20 years. You get to know residents and their relatives well. You can respond more effectively to what someone can and wants to do. It gives residents and relatives a sense of safety. At Herbergier, it also supports the open-door policy.
You always run a Herbergier together as life partners and live at the Herbergier.
- At least one of you is a BIG-registered nurse.
- You have experience in elderly care.
- At least one of you has management experience. This may be the same person.
You have a qualification in disability care and experience working in disability care. In the Netherlands, you start together as two life partners and live at the Thomashuis. In Belgium, you can start independently or with a life partner and live at the Thomashuis. At least one of you has management experience. This may be the same person.
Zorgbutler is a solo entrepreneurship model. You are ultimately responsible for the business.
- You are a BIG-registered nurse.
- You have experience in care, preferably elderly care.
- You live no more than 30 minutes away.
You have a qualification in disability care. Management experience is an advantage. You have an affinity with the target group.
For questions about care entrepreneurship, contact Toon Biezenaar, our recruitment and selection expert.
- E-mail: werving@dedrienotenboomen.nl
- Phone: 0031 88 – 202 2900
We aim to keep bureaucracy to a minimum so that the focus can remain on care. For each concept, we therefore provide access to an accounting package and third-party support with payroll administration. Care entrepreneurs may use these services, but are not required to do so.
- For Thomashuis, we work with Borrie Accountants.
- For Herbergier, we work with Beuk Accountants & Belastingadviseurs.
Care locations, availability and transfers
That depends on the concept and the situation. Sometimes it involves a new Herbergier or Zorgbutler location, and sometimes it involves taking over an existing business from the current care entrepreneurs.
Locations become available regularly, and new locations are also opened from time to time.
View available locations via the care entrepreneurship pages:
There are currently no locations available for Thomas op Kamers.
You first complete an orientation and selection process. We then match you with a suitable location.
- You register for an online webinar.
- We then contact you and usually arrange a meeting at your home.
- You submit an application with your personal details, such as your BIG registration number and CV. You complete a selection process, including meetings at the De Drie Notenboomen office in Amsterdam.
- If you successfully complete the process, we explore which locations match your circumstances and preferences. The current care entrepreneurs at relevant locations are also involved.
- For a completely new location, DDN and the new entrepreneurs make the decision together.
- When everyone feels comfortable with the match, the new entrepreneurs are formally linked to the location.
- This is followed by a transfer or handover period, during which the current entrepreneurs and DDN prepare the new entrepreneurs for their start.
After the orientation and selection process, we assess which available location is suitable. We consider both the candidate’s preferences and what is needed for a smooth handover with the current care entrepreneurs.
- The process usually starts with an online webinar, followed by meetings.
- After the selection process, matching with available locations begins.
- De Drie Notenboomen provides advice, the candidate is involved in the decision, and the current care entrepreneurs must also agree.
- This is followed by a handover period, often lasting around six months.
We decide together. De Drie Notenboomen provides advice, you are involved in the decision, and the current care entrepreneurs must also agree when it concerns an existing location.
Care entrepreneurs always sign a five-year franchise agreement.
A franchise agreement is signed with De Drie Notenboomen. This includes a one-off entry fee and a monthly fee for franchise services.
The business itself is purchased. This purchase is often financed through a loan, personal funds or a combination of both. The exact arrangement depends on your personal situation.
For general information about living at one of our locations, visit the relevant care concept website. For questions about a specific location, contact the care entrepreneurs directly. Their contact details are listed on the location page.
A Thomashuis is a warm and loving home for nine adults with intellectual disabilities. There are 119 Thomashuizen in the Netherlands and four in Belgium. Every house is part of the local community, because everyone belongs. Residents live together with one or two resident care entrepreneurs. Together, they share everyday life as one large family. The small-scale setting and the continuous presence of familiar people make a Thomashuis a true home.
You can view all locations on the care concept websites.
View Thomashuis locations in the Netherlands or Thomashuis locations in Belgium.
Care is small-scale and personal and is tailored to each resident’s wishes and abilities.
Read more about care at a Thomashuis in the Netherlands or Belgium.
We work with agreements and procedures that are suited to small-scale living and care.
Read more about quality at a Thomashuis in the Netherlands or Belgium.
The costs vary according to the individual situation and consist of housing costs and care costs.
Read more about costs at a Thomashuis in the Netherlands or Belgium.
A Herbergier is a warm and loving home for 18 to 24 people with dementia. The responsible care entrepreneurs also live at the Herbergier in a private apartment. Their presence provides calm, familiarity and reassurance for residents, relatives and employees. Every Herbergier has an open-door policy. This means residents are free to move around during the day, both inside and outside the building. A resident will often go out with an employee, but may also go out independently when this is appropriate.
You can view all locations on the care concept website.
A Herbergier is an accessible home with open doors. This means there are no locked wards, while employees are present day and night.
- Because each Herbergier is small-scale, with 18 to 24 residents, employees know the residents very well.
- This creates calm and familiarity.
- The care entrepreneurs live at or in the Herbergier. They know both residents and relatives well and can therefore provide highly personal care tailored to each resident.
- There is room for personal attention and for residents to go outside safely when this suits them.
A Herbergier has open doors and is accessible. This means there are no locked wards, while employees are present day and night.
Care is personal and focuses on wellbeing and personal attention. Read more about care at a Herbergier.
We work with agreements and procedures that are suited to small-scale living and care.
The costs consist of housing costs and care costs.
Read more about these costs at a Herbergier on the Herbergier website.
Zorgbutler is a small-scale residential care concept for older people with light to moderate care needs. Residents continue to live independently, with support close at hand.
You can view the three current locations on the care concept website. We are working on expanding the number of locations. New information will be published on our websites as soon as it becomes available.
Residents live independently in their own apartment and receive the care and support they need from the care entrepreneurs and their team.
We work with agreements and procedures that are suited to small-scale living and care.
The total costs depend on the agreements made between the resident and the care entrepreneur. They consist of housing and service costs plus the costs of the agreed care.
Thomas op Kamers is a warm home for fifteen young adults and adults with mild intellectual disabilities. Residents live independently together and work towards greater independence.
There is currently one location. We are focusing on this location in Rotterdam Ommoord and the residents who live there.
Care is small-scale and tailored to the residents.
We work with agreements and procedures that are suited to small-scale living and care.
The costs vary according to the individual situation and the agreements made.
It is best to discuss your complaint with the care entrepreneurs at the location first. In many cases, you will be able to resolve it together. If this is not possible, you can submit a complaint through the complaints procedure. Every location has a complaints procedure in accordance with the Dutch Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act. On the webpage of the relevant location, you will find more information and the email address for submitting a report in the grey section at the bottom of the page.
I have a question about press or real estate matters.
You can find press information, including facts and figures sheets and contact details, on our press page.
We are looking for properties and locations that suit our care concepts. Our property pages explain what we are looking for and how partnerships work.
This varies by care concept and development schedule. Our current priority regions are listed on the properties wanted page.
SOG is a separate organisation that works with De Drie Notenboomen to develop suitable locations for its care concepts.