Current Situation

 

Switzerland and especially Zurich is faced with an increasing need. On one hand more and more mothers chose to continue working after having a baby because they either want to, or they need to, and on the other hand an increasing number of parents begin to value early education and realize that sending their child to school at an early age helps the child's development and puts it on the right track to face the ever demanding society.

 

Comparing the German part of Switzerland with the French or Italian part one might rightly categorize it as very conservative when it comes to day-care and early education. There are far more offers of these services in the French and Italian speaking parts. This however does not mean that the need in the German speaking part is not here. On the contrary, the statistics of the past years clearly show that there is a heavy need, which keeps increases.

 

Looking at the statistics, there is currently a continuous increasing need for day-care for children of the age 0 - 18 months. This suggests that there are more couples with children where both parties work either part-time or full-time, and also more couples who value the benefit a child can have from the interaction with other children. This has led to numerous day-care centres being opened during the last couple of years.

 

Pure day-care with no educational plan is very attractive for a child until the age 3 or 4. Most parents notice that when their child reaches this age, it's potential is enormous. The child itself seeks the challenge and wants to experiment with a variety of things and not stick to the same routines. A child of this age also has a special gift which unfortunately reduces, with age. The natural way in which young children pick-up and learn foreign languages is extraordinary. Speaking 2 or even 3 languages is no big deal for them. They can switch, translate and learn to talk correctly without having to think of grammar rules. Finally no one can dispute that today, almost every profession requires familiarity with the computer. Computers are amazing not only because they can provide us with information which a few years ago we couldn't even dream of, but can be very effectively used to teach children a variety of things even if only via play.

 

A working couple who has managed to place their child in a day-care center may think that they have solved the problem. These are usually open 10-12 hours a day and the parents can work as usual. However the ones whose children have reached the critical age of 3-4 are faced with the BIG GAP. Any early education or primary school for that matter that may exist has little to offer the working couple. In fact what is offered is so inflexible that even reduction of work cannot solve the problem. The only solution allowing both parents to work is to find an additional person to fill in the gaps. Most of the existing organizations offer a 9-3 day with no possibility of after school care, 13-16 weeks vacation a year and in some cases not even lunch facilities. In addition to this most institutions are located outside the city of Zurich which makes it almost impossible for the parent to take the child to school or pick it up.