Early childhood care on the EPFL-UNIL campus

In order to help parents in the university community to reconcile a professional activity or studies with family responsibilities, the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), with the support of the City of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud, finance four childcare centres (CVE).

La Croquignole, la Croq’cinelle, le Polychinelle and la Primavera welcome children from the end of the maternity leave until they reach school age (0-4 years).

The four day-care centres are part of the Lausanne day-care network (Réseau-L). Registration is done through the BIP (Lausanne Parent Information Office – Bureau d’Information aux Parents de la Ville de Lausanne).

The Fondation Accueil Petite Enfance EPFL-UNIL (FAPE) is the administrative and decision-making body that manages the day-care centres.

The day-care centre offers 44 places, including 10 in the nursery (up to 18/24 months), 14 in the “trotteurs” (from 18/24 months to 30/36 months) and 20 in the “moyens” (from 30 months to school age).

Management
Viviana Lecci

Contact
Quartier Chamberonne
Bâtiment Anthropole
1015 Lausanne
Phone 021 692 45 96
croqcinelle@fape-hel.ch

Enrolment

Children are enrolled on a regular basis for a minimum of 3 half-days per week. Enrolments are managed by the Lausanne Parent Information Office (BIP) through a centralised waiting list (LAC).

To estimate childcare costs.

The day-care centre gives priority to children whose parents are employed by / or registered with the EPFL or UNIL. For more details, please refer to Procedure for the Allocation of a Childcare Place within the FAPE.

How it works

Regulation
PDF of the rules (in French)

Pedagogical project
The day-care centre establishes an institutional and pedagogical project elaborated by the educational team under the leadership of the management. The training of the childcare professionals ensures that the children have the best possible conditions for development.

PDF of the Institutional missions (in French)
PDF of the pedagogical project for the nursery (in French)
PDF of the pedagogical project for the “trotteurs” (in French)
PDF of the pedagogical project for the “moyens” (in French)

Opening hours
The child-care centre opens at 7.15 am and closes at 6.45 pm.
• morning without nap: 7.15am to 12.15pm;
• morning with nap: 7.15am to 2.15pm;
• afternoon without nap: 1.45pm to 6.45pm;
• full day: 7.15am to 6.45pm.

Calendar (annual closure)
PDF of the 2024 calendar (in French)

The day-care centre offers 37 places, including 10 in the nursery (up to 18/24 months), 7 in “the trotteurs” (from 18/24 months to 30/36 months) and 20 in “the moyens” (from 30 months to school age).

Management
Virgile Sottas

Contact
Chemin des Triaudes 16
1024 Ecublens / VD
Phone 021 693 73 00
croquignole@fape-hel.ch

Enrolment

Children are enrolled on a regular basis for a minimum of 3 half-days per week. Enrolments are managed by the Lausanne Parent Information Office (BIP) through a centralised waiting list (LAC).
To estimate childcare costs.

The day-care centre gives priority to children whose parents are employed by / or registered with the EPFL or UNIL. For more details, please refer to Procedure for the Allocation of a Childcare Place within the FAPE.

How it works

Regulation
PDF of the rules (in French)

Pedagogical project
The day-care centre establishes an institutional and pedagogical project elaborated by the educational team under the leadership of the management. The training of the childcare professionals ensures that the children have the best possible conditions for development.

PDF of the pedagogical project for the nursery and “trotteurs” (in French)
PDF of the pedagogical project for the “moyens) (in French)

Opening hours
The child-care centre opens at 7.15 am and closes at 6.45 pm.
• morning without nap: 7.15am to 12.15pm;
• morning with nap: 7.15am to 2.15pm;
• afternoon without nap: 1.45pm to 6.45pm;
• full day: 7.15am to 6.45pm.

Calendar (annual closure)
PDF of th 2024 calendar (in French)

The day-care centre offers 149 places, including 40 in the nursery (up to 18/24 months), 49 in “the trotteurs” (from 18/24 months to 30/36 months) and 60 in “the moyens” (from 30 months to school age).

Management
Barbara Ardizzoni
Tel. +41 21 693 72 41

Amandine Chambaud, pedagogical assistant
Tel. +41 21 693 73 54

Contact
Bâtiment GA
Station 5
CH – 1015 Lausanne
direction.polychinelle@fape-hel.ch

Enrolment

Children are enrolled on a regular basis for a minimum of 3 half-days per week. Enrolments are managed by the Lausanne Parent Information Office (BIP) through a centralised waiting list (LAC).

To estimate childcare costs.

The day-care centre gives priority to children whose parents are employed by / or registered with the EPFL or UNIL. For more details, please refer to Procedure for the Allocation of a Childcare Place within the FAPE.

How it works

Regulation
PDF of the rules (in French)

Pedagogical project
The day-care centre establishes an institutional and pedagogical project elaborated by the educational team under the leadership of the management. The training of the childcare professionals ensures that the children have the best possible conditions for development.

PDF of the general pedagogical project (in French)

Opening hours
The child-care centre opens at 7.15 am and closes at 6.45 pm.
• morning without nap: 7.15am to 12.15pm;
• morning with nap: 7.15am to 2.15pm;
• afternoon without nap: 1.45pm to 6.45pm;
• full day: 7.15am to 6.45pm.

Calendar (annual closure)
PDF of the 2024 calendar (in French)

The day-care centre Primavera offers 39 places, including 15 in the nursery (up to 18 to 24 months), 14 in “the trotteurs” (up to 30/36 months) and 10 in “the moyens” (from 30 months to school age).

Management
Grazia Scrima

Contact
Route de Praz Véguey 29
1022 Chavannes-près-Renens
Case postale 914
Phone 021 693 43 84
primavera@fape-hel.ch

Enrolment

Children are enrolled on a regular basis for a minimum of 3 half-days per week. Enrolments are managed by the Lausanne Parent Information Office (BIP) through a centralised waiting list (LAC).

To estimate childcare costs.

The day-care centre gives priority to children whose parents are employed by / or registered with the EPFL or UNIL. For more details, please refer to Procedure for the Allocation of a Childcare Place within the FAPE.

How it works

Regulation
PDF of the rules (in French)

Pedagogical project
The day-care centre establishes an institutional and pedagogical project elaborated by the educational team under the leadership of the management. The training of the childcare professionals ensures that the children have the best possible conditions for development.

Opening hours
The child-care centre opens at 7.15 am and closes at 6.45 pm.
• morning without nap: 7.15am to 12.15pm;
• morning with nap: 7.15am to 2.15pm;
• afternoon without nap: 1.45pm to 6.45pm;
• full day: 7.15am to 6.45pm.

Calendar (annual closure)
PDF of the 2024 calendar (in French)

Fondation

The Fondation Accueil Petite Enfance EPFL-UNIL (FAPE) is the administrative and decision-making body that manages the four day-care centres on the university campus. FAPE is composed of a Foundation Board and a General Secretariat.

Contact
Station 5
CH – 1015 Lausanne
Phone 021 693 43 86
info@fape-hel.ch

Organization

General Secretariat
Patricia Plaza

Foundation Board
The Foundation Board currently consists of the following 8 members :

Liliane Michalik (Chairman)
Gisou van der Goot (Vice-Chair)
Bernard Claessens (Member)
Carine Carvalho (Member)
Elza Gatto (Member)
Helene Fueger (Member)
Patrick Vulliamy (Member)
Anne-Christel Zeiter-Grau (Member)

Statutes

Helpful links

Service de la petite enfance Lausanne
FAJE
Parenting support – UNIL
Parenting support EPFL
Parents Network EPFL