Swiss government opposes childcare stimulus package
Children and their child carers have lunch at a day nursery in Zurich .
Keystone
The government on Wednesday withdrew its backing for a stimulus programme to boost childcare availability across the country, arguing that the responsibility falls primarily on cantons and municipalities.
In the past 15 years, the Swiss government has spent a total of CHF350 million ($350 million) to increase child care options in a bid to close the gap between supply and demand.
According to a recent survey, about 20% of pre-school and school age children cannot be cared for outside the home, despite the needs of their working mothers and fathers.
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