Daycare centers (Kita — Kindertagesstätte — Krippe) in Switzerland, commonly called Kitas, are private institutions.
Daycare centers in Switzerland offer year-round daycare for infants and children starting from three months old. Some daycares only cater to babies and toddlers up to four years old, whereas others also offer lunch, after-school, and holiday programs for children in kindergarten and/or primary school.
Daycare in Switzerland
Opening hours
Most daycare centers in Switzerland offer childcare services from around 6.30 to 19.00 and work with a pickup time frame from 16.00–19.00.
Attendance: Full day or half day
Before selecting your preferred daycare in Switzerland, it is important to clarify how many days you need covered to match your and your partner’s work schedule. All daycares in Switzerland offer full-day childcare; some also offer half-day childcare. If a daycare provides a half-daycare option, you usually have a choice of whether it is with or without lunch.
Did you know that most daycares in Switzerland work with a minimum weekly attendance?
For children under four: The average minimum attendance is often 40%. This translates to around 20 hours per week and means that most daycares (there are some exceptions) accept new children for a weekly minimum of two full days, one full day and two half days, or four half days, including lunch.
For children over four who attend kindergarten: The average minimum is 30% per week. With kindergarten finishing at noon, this means a minimum attendance of three afternoons a week.
Summit Education Tip
We recommend you contact your preferred daycare directly to find out about their opening hours and minimum weekly attendance. Some daycares do not have a required minimum attendance and/or are open to other arrangements.
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Read More: Statistics on childcare in Switzerland — a European comparison
