The Confederation must support the cantons in the encouragement of the extra -family reception. Unlike the Council of States, the National validated Tuesday the programs conventions for this purpose, by 109 votes to 82. It also approved federal financial aid.
The current federal support program for extra -family reception, in force since 2003, will end at the end of 2026. Parliament is looking for longer -term solutions.
The Council of States offers a new childcare allowance based on the model of family allowances and funded by the cantons, without federal aid. In this context, he rejected the pursuit of programs conventions currently in place with the cantons.
The People’s House is due to these conventions. It is a question of relieving the parents who keep their children in an institutional framework and of supporting the cantons in the encouragement of early childhood policy, advanced Estelle Revaz (PS/GE) for the Commission.
The agreements must allow the same equal opportunities throughout Switzerland, completed the Co-Rapter Dominik Blunschy (Center/Sz). Several center-left speakers have underlined the current regional differences in reception places, also for children with disabilities.
Better reconcile family and work
These agreements must promote the development of children’s reception offers and for children with disabilities as well as the development of the early childhood encouragement policy. The National has included measures aimed at improving the quality of offers in its educational and structural aspects, as well as allowing better conciliation between family life and professional life.
The left wanted to go further. She asked for measures to improve working conditions taking into account the social partnership. Katharina Prel-Zhuber (Vert-ES/ZH) highlighted the current conditions that push the staff to leave the profession, which weighs on the quality of the crèches.
-The left also failed to reduce parents’ contributions according to their economic situation. One of the greatest concerns of parents touches the costs of the crèches, argued Min Li Marti (PS/ZH).
At the other end of the political spectrum, the UDC and the PLR opposed conventions and tried to reduce the scope of the measures. The competence in terms of extra -family reception returns to the cantons, noted Bettina Balmer (PLR/ZH). They better know their specificities and their local infrastructure, added Stefanie Heimgartner (UDC/AG). And to note that there is even saturation of nurseries in certain urban areas.
Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider was also against these programs conventions. In case of prosecution of these, she asked that they have “a certain substance”.
200 million francs over four years
The National Council has decided to allocate federal aid of 200 million francs over four years. The Confederation must not only dictate rules but also contribute financially to it “in a reasonable manner”, according to Katja Christ (PVL/BS).
The UDC and part of the PLR were again against this aid, then tried to reduce the envelope by half. Andreas Gafner (UDF/BE) recalled the tense financial situation of the Confederation.
The debate continues, in particular on the new custody allocation proper.
This article was published automatically. Source: ATS
