The staff-to-child ratio in Swiss daycares is an important factor when choosing a daycare. It shows how many children one staff member is responsible for during direct care. However, the number alone doesn't show how care is actually organised in daily daycare life. There's no single ratio that applies across Switzerland. Requirements can vary depending on the canton or the responsible licensing authority. The age of the children and the qualifications of the staff also play a role.
In this article, we explain how to understand the staff-to-child ratio, what other factors matter, and what you should look out for when choosing a daycare.
What does the staff-to-child ratio in a daycare mean?
The staff-to-child ratio describes the relationship between the children being cared for and the staff providing direct care. A ratio of 1:5, for example, means that one staff member is available for five children.
The staff-to-child ratio relates to direct care and therefore reflects a specific care situation. For overall staff planning in a daycare, additional time must be factored in for holidays, illness, breaks, administration, or parent meetings.
This means the staff-to-child ratio alone doesn't show how many staff members are actually present in a group at any given time. For you as a parent, it offers useful guidance. What matters most, however, is how staffing resources are actually used in daily daycare life.
Is there a uniform staff-to-child ratio for daycares in Switzerland?
There's no single figure that applies to every daycare in Switzerland. Requirements are set by the responsible supervisory and licensing authorities, which means they can vary from region to region.
The canton of Bern shows just how different such requirements can be. There, it's regulated how many qualified staff and assistant staff must be employed depending on the number of occupied places. For example, for 1 to 5 occupied places, at least one qualified staff member is required. For 6 to 12 places, two staff members must be present, at least one of whom must be qualified.
In addition, there are recommendations from kibesuisse, which take into account factors such as the age of the children and the qualifications of staff.
What this means for you: a staff-to-child ratio should always be considered in the context of the specific daycare. Comparing daycares based on a single number alone doesn't tell the whole story.
Why does the age of the children matter?
A baby needs more direct support in daily life than an older daycare child. Feeding, changing nappies, sleeping, and individual attention all take more time. That's why the age of the children can also be factored into how care needs are calculated.
Cantonal requirements can also weight younger children differently. In the canton of Bern, for example, a child under twelve months counts as 1.5 places in the calculation. Children from twelve months until they start kindergarten count as one place.
This means the staffing required can vary depending on the age of the children being cared for. When choosing a daycare, it's worth asking how the facility factors in children's ages when determining the staff-to-child ratio.
Who counts as a staff member in the staff-to-child ratio?
It's not just the number of staff that matters, but also their qualifications. Which staff members are counted towards the staff-to-child ratio depends on the specific requirements in place.
In the canton of Bern, for example, a distinction is made between qualified staff, assistant staff, and other staff. Under certain conditions, people in their second or third year of training can be counted as assistant staff. Other staff, however, are not counted towards the required staff-to-child ratio.
The recommendations from kibesuisse also differentiate the care ratio based on staff qualifications. So it's worth asking not just how many staff are present, but also what the team composition looks like.
Staff-to-child ratio and group size are not the same thing
Both figures are often considered together when searching for a daycare. However, they describe different things.
Group size indicates how many children are cared for together in one group. The staff-to-child ratio, on the other hand, relates the number of children to the number of available staff.
A group of twelve children, on its own, doesn't tell you much about how many staff members are actually present.
What does the staff-to-child ratio say about the quality of a daycare?
The staff-to-child ratio is an important factor when assessing a daycare, but it's not the only one. Staff training, competent management, cooperation with parents, and other framework conditions also influence the quality of care.
A recent study by EKFF and Ecoplan from 2026 also shows how important the interplay of different quality factors is. Among other things, it concludes that public funding should be linked to binding quality standards.
It's worth considering not just the staff-to-child ratio, but also the actual care situation, the team's composition, and how staff absences are handled. A single number can't answer the question of whether a daycare is the right fit for your child and your family.
What questions can you ask a daycare about the staff-to-child ratio?
When you visit a daycare or have an initial conversation, you can ask specific questions such as:
How many children are cared for together in one group at the same time?
How many staff members are present throughout the day?
Does the staff-to-child ratio differ depending on the children's ages?
How many qualified staff members are present in the group on a typical day?
How is it ensured that enough staff are present if someone is unexpectedly absent?
How are trainees and other staff members factored into the staff-to-child ratio?
This will give you a clearer picture of how the staff-to-child ratio is actually put into practice day to day.
Factoring the staff-to-child ratio into your daycare choice
The staff-to-child ratio can be a helpful point of reference when choosing a daycare. However, not all daycares publish this figure, so it's not always possible to compare directly. You can also take other criteria into account, such as group size, the educational concept, opening hours, and the composition of the team.
With our daycare comparison, you can compare different daycares side by side. Through our daycare search, you can find care options in your region and learn more about individual facilities.
This way, you can weigh up different criteria together and find a daycare that suits your child and your family's everyday life.
Do you have questions about finding a daycare, or do you need support? Get in touch with us, we're happy to help.