Shortfall of 50,000 crèche

Study by the Swiss National Research Fund – NFP52

Neue Züricher Zeitung, 27.06.2005

In Switzerland, there is currently a shortfall of about 120,000 child-care places in a crèche or with a childminder. According to a National Research Fund study, an additional 50,000 places are required. The current supply of just 30,000 places only meets 40 percent of demand. The need for child-care places for pre-schoolers will increase sharply until 2015.

tsf.For the first time, and based on scientifically obtained figures, the National Research Fund study, published on Monday, demonstrates the demand in Switzerland for day-care for pre-schoolers that supplements what the family can provide. The study was based on a survey of 750 households.

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According to an announcement on Monday, the authors have come to the conclusion that there is currently a shortfall of about 120,000 places in crèches or with childminders. To meet this demand, about 50,000 additional care places would be needed for the desired care provision of two days per week. The current supply covers about 30,000 places.

Sharp increase in demand

In the next ten years, the need for child-care will increase sharply. Based on a simulation model, the study calculates an increase in demand of a good 21 percent by 2015. If the care facilities were subsidised across the board, demand would increase by 27 percent.

Currently, a household’s income is decisive in determining the use of supplementary child-care during the day.According to the study, an increase in income of just 10 percent would cause demand to rise by 5.6 percent. The prices of crèches and after-school home care also determine demand: If provision was 10 percent dearer, the demand would fall by up to 12 percent, it is claimed.

Mother’s age and education is critical

The study states that the age and level of education of the mother are further important factors. The higher that both of these factors are, the greater the probability that the children will attend a crèche.

Less surprising is that demand falls when the father is actively involved in the care of the child. Older siblings also have the effect of reducing demand. According to the study, this indicates that mothers with children of primary school age tend to remain at home, as there are also gaps in child-care cover outside the family for primary school children.

The study was carried out within the scope of the National Research Program “Childhood, youth and generational relationships in a changing society“ (NFP 52) by the research and consultancy agency Infras, the Institute of Microeconomics and the Public Economy at the Swiss Italian University in Lugano and the consultancy agency Tassinari. It was based on a survey of 750 households with children of pre-school age from all regions of Switzerland. The parents were asked which care providers they would choose in different circumstances, such as a crèche or childminder.

Call to politics and the economy

The results of the study could be of enormous significance for future political decision-making. The authors are calling for political and economic decision-makers to expand the current supply. Cantons and communities are primarily being challenged, declared Susanne Stern, project manager at Infras. The cantons could better co-ordinate the planning of supply, whilst the communities face the challenge primarily of jointly financing the supply and of supporting the parents financially. The economy could also make a contribution, with companies providing in-house childcare or jointly financing external care providers.