The following forms of child care to consider include:

01 Crèche/nursery school for children under 3 years of age
02 Kindergartens
03 In-Home Child Care
04 Children’s Groups
05 Child Care offered at the Universities
06 Personal Babysitter
07 Volunteer »Grandmas and Grandpas«
08 After-School Center and Schools with All Day Supervision for School-Age Children

At the beginning of the 2009/2010 kindergarten year, each Austrian province agreed to cover the half-day cost of every child’s last year in Kindergarten.

Inquire in advance about child care near you, visit the day care facilities and speak with the responsible persons as well as with other parents, particularly if your child has special needs. 

Crèches and nursery schools provide day care for children under the age of 3. These facilities are specially equipped for the needs of infants and small children.

Children are cared for in small, individual groups and in close cooperation with parents.

Créche/nursery school fees depend on

• the crèche/nursery school’s supporting organization
• parents’ income
• the time period the child will spend at the crèche/nursery school

Children in this age group can also be cared for by an in-home caregiver.

Kindergartens have long been valuable  institutions of early childhood learning, providing young children opportunities to socially interaction with peers and learn through creative play.

Since the beginning of the kindergarten year 2009/2010, Austria introduced legislation declaring the last year of kindergarten (20 hours per week, without lunch) to be free (paid for by the government) for five year olds.

Since September 2009, the last year of kindergarten before beginning primary school is mandatory for all children.

Kindergarten facilities are owned and operated by local communities and Magistrates (public kindergartens), various associations, churches, Caritas (private kindergartens) as well as by companies that provide in-house child care.

Public kindergartens

To register your child at a public kindergarten, contact your local municipal office or Magistrate. In some cases you can register your child directly at the kindergarten. In some communities and cities, kindergarten fees are scaled based on parents’ income. 

Private kindergartens

If you opt to place your child in a private kindergarten, it is best to personally visit the kindergarten facility and speak directly with the
managing director. You can either register at the kindergarten directly or through the kindergarten’s support organization.

Company Kindergartens
Company kindergartens are located either on company property or very close by and available to company employees.

In-home child care providers open their home to care for other families’ children. These child care providers can give your child more individual attention as well as offer more flexible hours than crèches, kindergartens or children’s groups.

In-home child care providers offer a child a family environment. They cook, entertain children and provide toys. In-home child care providers require a state-issued permit and must be certified. In most Austrian provinces, they are required to prove some degree of pedagogic education and must attend further education courses.

For more details on in-home child care by a child care provider, contact: Bundesverband der österreichischen Tagesmüttervereine

In-Home Child Care in Linz
In-home child care providers, called a »Tagesmutter«, care for their own children as well as other children for a full day, half-day or by hour.

In Linz, the agency »Aktion Tagesmütter Oberösterreich« is responsible for:

• placing children with an in-home child care provider
• educating and training child care providers
• employing child care providers

Aktion Tagesmütter

Raimundstraße 10, 4020 Linz
+43 (0)732/6922 7780

In-Home Child Care Providers in Upper Austria

Children’s groups are a parent initiative and an alternative to institutional kindergarten facilities. Initiated, founded and managed in collaboration with parents, children are cared for in small groups – six to 15 children in accordance to age – catering closely to their
individual needs.

Parent cooperation is required in areas of organization and pedagogic issues as well as everyday tasks (such as preparing meals,
performing small repairs and cleaning).

The groups are financed by parent contributions, public subsidies and, in some cases, such as when women return to work, partially by child care support benefits.

Child care availability for university students is a central issue, particularly so students can complete their academic degree studies.
Parenthood presents students with different set of demands in regards to juggling child care, family responsibilities, work and studying.

Most Austrian universities have child care facilities and options for students are available through the university or by the Austrian student union.

If you would rather your child not go to a child care facility on a regular basis but you still require child care on an hourly basis, hiring
a babysitter for those few hours may be an option. Babysitters can provide individual care in the child’s own familiar surroundings
and environment.

If you require babysitter services often, the »Volunteer Grandma or Grandpa« program may an option as well.

Some families lack the presence of grandparents who can sometimes watch children for a few hours a day, pick them up from kindergarten, school or from an after-school day care facility, and provide child care if parents must work or go out in the evenings. The »Volunteer Grandma/Grandpa« program was created and pairs older, physically and mentally fit persons with young families. The goal is to help establish a continual, familiar relationship between the family and the »volunteer« grandparent. A volunteer grandma/grandpa is someone who can give their time and attention to a child.

Afternoon Day Care for School-Age Children

Where can children go in the afternoons after school when parents are still working?

In addition to afternoon day care facilities and private child care options, there are a few options for school-age children.

For more information on local afternoon child care for school-age children, please contact the school service office at the State Education Authority of Upper Austria

After-School Day Care (=Hort)
After-school day care facilities provide supervised child care for primary school aged children. Teachers help students with their homework and organize educational activities.
These facilities are primarily for single parents and working parents as well as those who wish to provide their children with additional learning and homework support after school.

Experienced teachers work together with children and address learning issues as well as and self-development. They provide children with many social and cognitive learning activities as well as organized, individual care and support.

Fees are scaled based on parents’ income, making attendance at a facility in the city socially affordable.

• Link to kindergartens and afternoon child care facilities in Upper Austria
• Babysitters and Au-Pairs
• Child Care