Daycare families have the flexibility to cater to the unique needs and preferences of both children and their parents. This small-scale and personalized form of childcare can offer many advantages.

The Swiss Childcare Association, kibesuisse, lists several benefits in their Daycare Family Profiler report (in German, French, and Italian) here: kibesuisse.ch/fileadmin

We have summarized these and added some we learned about through speaking with parents.

Daycare families in Switzerland

Language immersion

The intimate and family-like environment of a daycare family has a significant advantage in terms of exposure to the Swiss German language. This is particularly beneficial if your family moves from abroad and plans to stay in Switzerland long term. If you yourself do not speak Swiss German (yet) and find it important that your child learn the local dialect, we recommend looking into this form of childcare.

Early exposure is especially beneficial to young children prior to entering kindergarten and can help them adopt Swiss German as a second or third language. Speaking Swiss German fluently not only helps children integrate into the local community faster but also helps with an easier transition into a local kindergarten or school, enhancing your child’s overall educational experience.

Small groups with personal attention

Daycare families typically look after no more than five children under 12. Compared to Kitas, which may have 10 to 20 children per group, a daycare family’s intimate setup allows for individual attention and care. In these small groups, caregivers can closely observe and respond to each child’s unique needs and therefore make a significant contribution to their early childhood development.

Flexibility — Combining family and career

Moving to another country where you don’t have grandparents or other family members close by can be difficult. As expat moms ourselves, we know that scheduling can be challenging at times, especially for parents who both work and depend on an external childcare provider.

Daycare families can play an important role in improving the balance between family and career. Whereas Kitas have fixed schedules to accommodate a large group of children, daycare families are able to offer much more flexibility and individualized care.

Most families offer hourly, half-day, and full-day care, and you are often able to arrange your own preferred drop-off and pickup times. Some families also offer the option for children to sleep over. This can be great fun if your child has daycare siblings. What is possible, depends on the family.

The level of flexibility daycare families offer can be a big advantage for families with two working parents or for parents with irregular work schedules. We encourage you to get in touch with your local daycare family organization to learn more.

Consistent and reliable caregivers

Unlike Kitas, where staff and interns regularly rotate to other locations or age groups and where your child moves through age groups, daycare family caregivers remain consistent for years. This gives children the chance to build long-term relationships, which is especially important to very young children, as it cultivates a sense of security and trust.

Homely atmosphere and family-like environment

Do you find it important that your child is cared for in a family setting that resembles home? Daycare families often feel like a second home. The child is part of the family and participates in everyday activities and routines, such as grocery shopping or preparing meals. This homely setting offers a strong contrast to large daycare centers.

An important note is that this homely atmosphere may also come with challenges. Some parents might feel jealous of their daycare family. This can happen when caregivers are the first to witness important milestones, such as your child’s first steps, or when your child is really excited about spending time with his or her daycare family.

We assure you that these feelings are perfectly normal and cannot always be prevented. Our recommendation? Spend quality time together with your child on your days off, as well as doing activities or going on trips that you as a family enjoy.

We recommend that families openly communicate about how they feel with their daycare family or daycare family organization. Remind yourself that even if your child develops a close relationship with their daycare family, you as parents always remain the most important caregivers in their lives. Daycare families are not a replacement for you own family but rather an expansion of the circle of important caregivers in their lives that makes children feel safe and happy.

Relationships with childcare siblings

Daycare families offer a unique dynamic by bringing together children from different families in one home. If the daycare family also has children, they often form strong relationships that extend beyond normal friendships with their daycare siblings.

If you have any further questions about daycare families in Switzerland, please feel free to reach out to our team at Summit Education.

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