In daycares, emergency reception systems for families mobilized in the fight against the pandemic and introduced in mid-March are gradually giving way to a return to normal. Some nurseries began to reopen on Monday for children they had not seen in six weeks, others are waiting for May 11. In the French-speaking cantons, the restrictions order professionals to take care of fewer children over a larger area. In the canton of Vaud, the availability of reception places corresponds to approximately half of the available positions.
“The government’s policy for reception networks is to offer an increasing number of childcare possibilities at each stage of deconfinement. We are preparing for the possibility of a full reopening for May 11, accompanied by a concept of protection. Among our staff, people at risk will not immediately resume work with children, “announces Valérie Berset, head of the Office for Child Day Care in the Canton of Vaud.
Invoices to families have been completely suspended throughout the canton, network reception facilities are receiving guarantees from their cities to pay the wages of their employees. Private nurseries benefit from reduced working hours, like any private enterprise. The National Council’s Science, Education and Culture Commission wants to provide financial aid to nurseries through a parliament’s necessity order, as compensation for contributions parents no longer pay to them.
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A broad coalition of 37 interest groups and political organizations are calling for childcare to be at the center of any strategy for ending the crisis. Improvements and coordinated action at the Swiss level would prevent the current situation from being followed by a crèche and daycare crisis. “An action plan should be developed with particular attention to the well-being of children and involving specialist organizations and the social partners,” she said. Paid activity and childcare must be separated again, which requires not only the maintenance of the current non-family childcare facilities, but also their development. “The difficulty for women to reconcile work and family has been accentuated by this crisis,” noted Claudine Esseiva, president of Business and Professional Women. “The damage would be considerable if, at the end of the health crisis, the number of reception places were seriously reduced due to bankruptcies or closings,” continued Green National Councilor Katharina Prelicz-Huber.
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“If the authorities were to give up acting,” continues the coalition, “it would be to the detriment of children and parents, reception staff and teachers, vulnerable people and grandparents, and therefore equality, the economy and society as a whole. It must be avoided at all costs. “
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