Parliament has approved plans by the Swiss government to set aside an additional CHF96.8 million ($97.3 million) towards subsidies for nurseries and other extra childcare.
The proposal was launched last year in a bid to boost the workforce and broaden the range of childcare options.
Switzerland is notorious for its expensive childcare compared to other western nations, as revealed in a survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2015.
The total cost of a place in a nursery – after deducting various forms of assistance – amounts to about 30% of the average Swiss income. Switzerland invests just 0.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in childcare, less than most other European countries.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives followed the Senate in agreeing the financial incentives for cantonal and local authorities over the next five years.
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Counting the cost of childcare
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To stem a shortage of facilities the government in 2003 initiated a CHF440 million ($455 million) incentive programme to fund the creation of crèches. The injection boosted the number of childcare places by more than 15,000 over ten years, adding to the around 50,000 places that already existed. One crèche owner who benefitted was Darina…
Supporters, mainly from centre- and leftwing parties, argued that the costs for extra-family care were discouraging many women from seeking a job and that the Swiss workforce needed a boost to compete with immigrant workers.
Interior Minister Alain Berset pointed out that Switzerland lagged behind other countries in terms of childcare support.
Opponents, however, warned that state incentives were undermining private efforts and would lead to a financial burden for the federal authorities.
The government has provided about CHF350 million towards childcare facilities since 2003, creating more than 54,000 places for children in nurseries.
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Subsidies for childcare aim to boost workforce
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The cabinet has submitted a request to parliament, which will now be debated, for a system of financial incentives amounting to CHF100 million ($102.5 million) over five years. Childcare in Switzerland is notoriously expensive, with full-time care in the cities of Geneva and Zurich costing as much as 20% of a family’s income, compared to…
Switzerland: home to the world’s most expensive crèches
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In 2014, Switzerland maintained its position as the number one destination for white-collar expatriate workers, but a study by HSBC bank exposed some major concerns raised by new arrivals. Heading the list was the exorbitant cost of childcare. International studies support the view: Switzerland easily tops the list of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development…
Demand for childcare cash leaves national shortage
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At the current pace of applications, the government’s stimulus package will run out long before its end date of January 31, 2019. The government initiated a CHF440 million incentive programme in 2003 to stem the shortage of crèche facilities. The injection boosted the number of childcare places by more than 15,000 over ten years, adding…
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He presented a list of measures, including further training, improved compatibility of work and family, integration of older staff as well as tax breaks for double-income couples. However, Schneider-Ammann acknowledged the powers of the government were limited. He called on employers, cantons and employers to cooperate to boost the integration of skilled workers into the…
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For many parents – particularly mothers – working around the Swiss school day is a challenge. “It already starts in Kindergarten. The school structure is set up as morning school and children come home at lunchtime. If they have afternoon lessons, they only have to go back at about 1.30 or 2pm. So it’s a…
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Standing in the apartment she calls her husband’s bachelor pad, Stéphanie-Aloysia Moretti is making Turkish tea. Expensive crèches and a lack of childcare facilities outside school hours are not problems Moretti has to deal with. Six years ago, the director of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation reduced her working hours to study in Paris. She…
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To stem a shortage of facilities the government in 2003 initiated a CHF440 million ($455 million) incentive programme to fund the creation of crèches. The injection boosted the number of childcare places by more than 15,000 over ten years, adding to the around 50,000 places that already existed. One crèche owner who benefitted was Darina…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.