Bellinzona nurseries: pilot project for extended hours from 2027 (cross-border guide)

Context

TL;DR

• Pilot project for extended-hour kindergarten in Bellinzona by 2027/2028.
• 90% of 3-year-olds enrolled in kindergarten would benefit.
• Aims to reduce territorial inequality in service access.
• Fees and schedules to be defined during evaluation.

Key facts

• Project Launch: 2027/2028 academic year
• Main Beneficiaries: Families with 3-year-old children in kindergarten
• Current Enrollment: Morning-only, complicating daily management
• Evaluation Deadline: June 2028
• Budget Coverage: Space adjustments and additional staff for 2027/2028
• Cross-border Impact: Lack of extended-hour services adds logistical challenges
• Model Municipalities: Lugano, Locarno, Mendrisio, Chiasso with established services
• Fees Structure: Proportional to income, details to be defined

An inter-party motion presented to the Bellinzona Municipal Council calls for the launch of a pilot project for extended-hour sections in one or two kindergarten locations by the 2027/2028 academic year. The proposal, spearheaded by Camilla Guidotti (Centro), is backed by municipal councillors from Unità di sinistra, Verdi/Fa, Lega, Mps, and Avanti con Ticino&Lavoro/Più Donne/Noce.

Who benefits and why now

Families with 3-year-old children — who account for over 90% of enrolments in the optional year of kindergarten — would be the main beneficiaries. Currently, children are initially enrolled only in the morning, making daily management difficult for households without support networks. As explained in the motion, 'In the first months, the reduced and gradual schedule for enrolment complicates daily management for many families, especially those without a support network.'

“Children have no opportunity to continue their day in a structured educational setting,” reads the text of the motion.

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Operational details

Before vs after: what changes for families

Before the potential introduction of extended-hour sections, families in Bellinzona face an extremely rigid school schedule. Children aged 3 start kindergarten only in the morning, leaving parents with no alternatives for the afternoon hours except relying on private services or relatives. As highlighted in the motion, "limited attendance at kindergarten makes their integration into extracurricular centers logistically more complex and less sustainable from an organizational standpoint."

A practical scenario: the case of a cross-border family

Take the example of a couple who both work in Bellinzona but live in Varese. Currently, if their 3-year-old child attends the municipal kindergarten, the mother must arrange extra transportation to cover the afternoon hours not covered by the school service. This entails:

• Additional costs for private services (babysitters, summer centers, private transport);
• Loss of time in logistics management;
• Family stress due to lack of flexibility.

With the introduction of extended-hour sections, the same family could instead:

• Reduce costs for external services;
• Optimize travel between work and school;
• Ensure the child a structured educational environment even in the afternoon.

Comparison with other municipalities: Lugano as a model

In Lugano, where extended-hour sections have been active for years, parents can access a service from 7:00 to 19:00, with fees proportional to income. This has made it possible to:

• Increase family participation in school services;
• Reduce inequalities between neighborhoods;
• Improve work-life balance for families.

According to the motion, Bellinzona could also replicate this model, starting with the sites where the need is most evident.

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Key points

How to participate and what steps to follow

If the motion is approved, families in Bellinzona interested in the pilot project will need to wait for official communications from the Municipality. However, it is already possible to prepare by gathering useful information and assessing your needs.

Step 1: Verify enrollment in kindergarten

First, ensure that your child is enrolled in the municipal kindergarten in Bellinzona. The motion applies exclusively to children attending municipal schools, not those in private schools. For enrollment, contact the relevant municipal offices:

• School Office of the Municipality of Bellinzona;
• Secretariat of the relevant kindergarten.

Step 2: Monitor official updates

The Municipality will publish updates on the pilot project through official channels:

• Municipal website of Bellinzona;
• School notice boards;
• Press releases and newsletters.

We recommend subscribing to the Municipality’s newsletters to receive real-time updates.

Step 3: Participate in public consultations

During the evaluation phase (by June 2028), the Municipality will organize public consultations to gather families’ opinions. Participation is key to shaping the definition of:

• Service hours;
• Income-based fees;
• Minimum number of enrollments required to activate the service.

Step 4: Explore alternative options for now

Until the pilot project begins, families with extended hours needs can consider:

• Private babysitting services or summer centers;
• Sharing transportation with other families;
• Requesting exemptions from kindergartens that already offer flexibility.

Step 5: Prepare for 2027

If the pilot project is launched, interested families will need to:

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