Please note that places are limited and there is often a waiting list. It is advisable to seek information during pregnancy.
 
There are also home care solutions: this involves finding a daytime mother or an au pair (which you will pay for yourself), regardless of the age of the children.
 
Childcare in the canton of Vaud is organised into networks. You can contact your municipality of residence or the childcare networks listed.
 
More information
 
The different types of childcare
 
Babysitting and emergency care
From time-to-time, you can also call on a babysitter who will take care of your children for a few hours in the evening or during the weekend. The Red Cross trains young people in caring for children and offers its family assistance services according to the net income of the household according to the following rates, as an indication: CHF 4 per hour for income up to CHF 3,500 and CHF 6 per hour if it is childcare during weeknights, weekends or holidays.
 
Vaud Red Cross
In the event of an emergency or if your child is ill or has an accident, you can call on the paying services of the Red Cross to have your children looked after.
 
More information
Service de garde d’enfants malades
Rue Beau-Séjour 9-13
1002 Lausanne
021 340 00 80
021 340 00 81
famille@croixrougevaudoise.ch

Français en jeu
French course “Learning at school”
 
Pôle Lausanne
Place Pépinet 2
1003 Lausanne
021 329 04 49
lausanne@francaisenjeu.ch
 
Pôle ouest vaudois
Rue de l’Avenir 6
1020 Renens
021 552 44 04
ouest@francaisenjeu.ch
 
Pôle est vaudois
Rue des Remparts 7
Case postale 47
1814 La Tour-de-Peilz
021 552 44 05
riviera@francaisenjeu.ch
 
Pôle Broyes et Gros-de-Vaud
Rue Mauborget
1510 Moudon
021 552 44 03
moudon@francaisenjeu.ch

Consult the directory of schools
 
For registrations in the city of Lausanne, you must contact the Service des Ecoles et du Parascolaire directly.

Service des écoles et du parascolaire
Direction de l’enfance, de la jeunesse et des quartiers
Place Chauderon | 5e étage
Case postale 5032 | 1002 Lausanne 
021 315 64 11
 
For more information, consult all the explanatory documents of the Vaud school system translated into 16 languages.
 
Translated information documents to parents
 
You will also find the diagrams by country where the Vaud system is compared to the system of different countries.
 
For all questions related to compulsory schooling

Information for students who speak another language (ALLOPHONES)
 
Office du soutien pédagogique et de l’enseignement spécialisé
The service ensures and supports the education of children and young people aged 0 to 20 years old with disabilities and special needs and supports the process of social integration through vocational training.

Rue Cité-Devant 11
1014 Lausanne
021 316 54 01
info.sesaf@vd.ch

Supervised or assisted homework
After school, students have the opportunity to participate in supervised or assisted homework in the presence of an adult. These activities provide a framework conducive to learning. A modest financial contribution may be requested from the parents. For more information, contact your child’s school.

Avenue de Rumine 2
1005 Lausanne
021 341 90 77 | 078 689 63 63
info@ape-vaud.ch

More information
 
Information concerning support for parents, children and youth

Native languages and culture courses (LCO)
So that your child can develop his or her native language while learning French, native language and culture courses (LCO) are organised in the canton by various immigrant associations and certain embassies. You can enrol your children in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic courses, etc., depending on the existing offers. The schools or the municipality will provide you with the necessary information on the LCO courses that take place closest to your home.

AFP and CFC learning
Alternating theory and practice, the apprenticeship (or initial vocational training) leads to obtaining a federal certificate of proficiency (CFC) in 3 or 4 years or a federal certificate of vocational training (AFP), depending on the chosen profession, leading to the labour market and/or to further training. Apprenticeships are highly valued in Switzerland.
 
Regional educational and vocational guidance centres
The 5 regional educational and vocational guidance centres will inform you about the existing possibilities.
 
If you find yourself in a situation of choice of training, the Office cantonal d’orientation
scolaire et professionnelle (OCOSP) offers various services by providing you with a network of vocational guidance specialists as well as a lot of information for training support. OCOSP, with its Regional Centres, can help you develop and carry out your projects which take into account the requirements of the employment and training market, as well as your skills, aptitudes and interests, and your personality.
 
These information services on studies and professions and these advisory services, collective or individual, are intended for students and their families, young people in transition or training and adults, throughout their life.
 
Find which educational and vocational guidance centre you shoud refer to

Portail Migration
Rue de la Borde 3d
1018 Lausanne
021 316 11 40

Office cantonal des bourses d’études (OCBE)
Rue Cité-Devant 14
1014 Lausanne
021 316 33 70

For young people from the age of 16 and anyone in training, Jet Service, the Youth Social Service of the CSP Vaud offers free and confidential social and legal consultations in different places in the canton to answer your questions in connection with scholarships, maintenance, budgets, financial problems, debts, leaving home, family difficulties, labour law, problems with the law, access to benefits, and other legal issues: insurance social security, housing, contracts, etc.
 
Jet Service - CSP Vaud
jet.service@csp-vd.ch
csp.ch/jetservice
 
Lausanne
Avenue de Rumine 2
1005 Lausanne
021 560 60 30
 
Yverdon-les-Bains
Maison des Associations
CSP Vaud - Pôle social
Quai de la Thièle 3
1400 Yverdon-les-Bains
 
Payerne
CSP Vaud
Pôle social de la Broye
Rue des Terreaux 10
1530 Payerne
 
Vevey
Dans les locaux de Ginkgo
Rue de l’Union 15b
1800 Vevey