Childcare in Switzerland

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hi,

I am thinking about relocating to Switzerland with my family.

I have 2 children so I am very interested in childcare in Switzerland. What my options are?

Are there only private creches in Switzerland? What is the price for a full time care per 1 child?

In terms of a school age child, what is the price for pre and after school care and collections organized by creche?

Will be grateful for any advises.

Thx

Adzia

2
Hi there, I'm not sure if you are the mother or the father of these kids. But in any case you have made the right decision to research this prior to making a move.

I don't have any kids myself, but have many friends who do. I can't give you exact costs but in general Switzerland is a very expensive country to bring up kids. Child care is very expensive, and often difficult to get due to limited places.

If you are planning on having a good traditional family where the mum stays home all the time and makes lunches for the kids then it probably wouldn't be too bad. However, if you plan on having both parents working you'll find that not only is child care expensive but you'll be taxed as a single, combined income. If you are a single parent you'll also find it very difficult.

As I understand Ireland is generally child-friendly (let's face it, they've done a pretty good job in the past at producing them ), so you might find things very much different here...

All I'm saying is do your homework very carefully... I'm sure some experienced parents might be along shortly to give you some more specific information about costs etc. You'll also find other threads mentioning other useful information if you browse the forums or use the search function.

3
My working friends with school-age children have found it to be more cost-effective to use the International schools because they have a longer day-time programme and expect that they'll be there for lunch. It is more the norm that school children in local schools will go home for a lunch break - generally between one and half hours - two hours.

4
Thanks for your reply. Actually, it is very expensive to bring up children in Ireland and I was hoping for smth better in Switzerland ;-)

Having 2 children in Ireland you have to pay 85-90% of an avarage salary for a creche, as there are only private creches in here.

As a matter of fact many or even most of women stay at home bringing up their children as it is cheaper.

Well I hope other parents will answer my post as well and I will get more exact data.

Thanks again

Adzia

5
Childcare is expensive here; I currently pay just over CHF1200 per month for 3 days per week for my oldest son. He will be starting Kindergarten in a weeks time and his nursery do a drop off/pick up service for CHF8 per journey and keep him the rest of the day. Opening hours tend to be 0630 untill 1830. There are also childminders who are registered through the local town halls. I also used one of these in the past, that cost CHF10 3 years ago. Most nurserys' are private and in Zurich are quite a few bilingual ones.

Childcare is also a little different from UK or Ireland. There is no pre-school curriculum to follow but they do various projects instead. For example my son has done projects on internatioal foods and the elements (earth, fire etc not hydrogen, helium). They are do a lot of things that wold not be allowed back home due to health & saftey reasons; for 2 weeks at the moment my son's nursery has re-located to a nearby forrest where they build fires to cook lunch on. I actually like this as I think it gives them some good life experience.

If there is anything specific you would like to know let me know.

6
this might help

http://www.kinderkrippen-online.ch/p...o-20030410.htm

1. international scool are from 9- 3.15 and after school care 25CHF for 2 hours

2. school fees 24000 CHF per year.

7
It would help if you say how old your children are.

Plus if they need to go international school or you like to try local schools (meaning using local languages).

Under 5 years old:

Childcare centres = Kinderkrippe (KK)

-- Usuallly about 100-150chf per day per child

-- Depending on subsidy, some companies will pay something for the KK, eg mine pays 50%

-- Most KK fees also depends on your pay level (diffferent pay levels = diff fees)

-- Opening times 730 to 9am, lunch included, no fixed curriculum (play only)

-- Pick up time usually before 1800hrs. late, pay fine or u are banned.

-- International schools also take in children from 3 years onwards (but they are charging like 24kchf per year, sept start year)

5 years old onwards:

Kindergarten = Kindergarten

Can choose international school path or local school...

BTW, I am taking my first child OUT of KK, to let him experience fulltime at home with his mother (recently stopped working due to new baby girl ) Plus: it makes no economic sense, all my wife's pay would go to paying 2 children's KK fees (if 5 days per week)

HAT

Why didn't they come with user manuals....?

8
Hi,

I am new to this forum. We are moving to Switzerland (somewhere between Geneva and Lausanne) in August this year and I am investigating the childcare system as I have 2 children (6 yrs in October and 3 yrs in June) plus one baby due in May.

I understand that this is a difficult topic with lack of daycare spaces, high fees and long waiting lists.

What can I expect to pay for my 3 year old going to daycare and what about the fees for public schools? I am trying to avoid International schools as I want my children to integrate with the locals plus the education there seem to be very high anyway.

Also, how does it work in reality with open hours, lunch breaks etc that I have read about? Do I have to pick up my kids every day for lunch or can you pay extra for letting them stay and have lunch. That is what I am doing today (living in Mallorca, Spain).

Annette

9
Okay here some answers. For your 6 year old there will be kindergarten available every morning free of charge all in French. For your 3 year old there might(limited spaces) be the possibility of day care at around CHF 100 per child per day. There are such things as day mothers who will run in at between 5 and 10 francs per hour.

When you refer to public schools are you meaning private schools or state schools ie are you using this in the English sense of the word. The Swiss private schools run at a similar price to the International schools maybe 10% less depending on the school. Budget 25K all in and you will be about right.

Generally you pick your kids up for the 2 hour lunch break but more and more schools are offering block times and full day schools. You would need to see where you finally choose to live and then you can investigate what the local schools offer. There is no such thing as a "standard" in this area... If you are looking at private schools then yes you drop them off in the morning and pick them up in the evening and they are busy in the meantime...

10
Hi

as Richard says it very much depends on where you live the service provided by the state schools. i am alos looking at the problem of chilcare as i will have to work when we come over. We have had to look at living in the areas where the schools can provide an all day service, either that or send them private. It is quite sporadic tho. I have contacted many of the schools and communes directly to find out what is available.

http://www.web-vd.ch/vd_dgeo/etablissements/ ( link to state schools in vaud)

http://www.lafamily.ch/qsPortal/DispArt.asp?N=106326 ( lots of good info, links and adverts eg maman de hour)

www.annonce.ch adverts for maman de jour etc.

http://www.lausanne-famille.ch/entraidefamiliale-vaud/ - organisation grouping list of nurseries, after school care, lunch time care etc

Jo

11
Hi! We are moving to Geneva (actually Veigy Foncenex) next week and I have no idea were to find an English daycare for my 17 month old daughter. My two other kids (3 & 5) will be going to the International School (LGB; CFH20.000 and CFH25.000 per year) so I would prefer a daycare nearby. Someone told me that daycares in Switzerland are only for families with 2 working parents, which would mean that I can not take my daughter there. Are there any options just across the border? Do English daycares even exist in France?

12
I have never heard a rule that nursery places are only available to children with two working parents. English speaking nursery places in Geneva are supposed to be very rare with long waiting lists at all the nurseries. You would probably have better luck at a French speaking place which would also give your daughter the opportunity to learn French.

13
hello

in Geneva and neighbouring france, theres not really much in the way of daycare in english, but french-speaking has been fine for us-for this you have to register at a special office (BIPE) in the centre of Geneva- places at daycare (creches) are given in priority to firstly those who live ih the ville de geneve and have 2 working parents, then to those working in the city (if they live elsewhere, although I dont know if this includes france). If you contact them as soon as you arrive and try and register then at least, should a place come free, your name will be down!

Aside from that there are some private creches as well in geneva eg scoubi doo is one, think you can register with these separately. Plus some villages also have garderies or jardin d'enfants, and I think these are run by the commune. Actually I thought that there was some kind of a garderie in the village you are moving to as I met someone whose daughter went there a few afternoons a week

S

14
Greetings :

Is there a website that is a spreadsheet or database which lists each service provider, each provided service, and each accompanying fee.

If children are old enough to read, write, sketch, or play music without the need of adult assistance or direction, then are there providers who offer only adult or teen observers ?

_

15
For what city/town? I am afraid you have to do your homework to find childcare. How old are the children? As with most things in Switzerland, each town and certainly each canton does things differently. So knowing where you would live is your first task, imo

16
I live in Zurich canton and I pay CHF 2090 per month for my son. He is 3 years old and he goes to a bilingual Montessori Kindergarten full time 5 days a week (lunch and snacks included). The childcare is open from 7am to 6pm.

17
Where is this Kindergarten? Link? Thank you.

18
It's House of Kids in Adliswil

www. houseofkids .ch

19
As I was looking for daycare for my kids, I bumped into Kitaclub:

https://kitaclub.ch

Nicely done and even in english (although some translations seems to be missing).