Swiss daycare worker accused of abusing 15 children as young as one
After Alleged Daycare Abuse: Expert Calls for Mandatory Child Protection Policies
Despite many daycare centers having safeguarding policies against sexual violence, incidents continue to occur. Now, an expert is demanding official oversight requirements.
A 33-year-old group leader is accused of sexually abusing at least 15 children at two daycare centers in the cantons of Bern and Zurich. Swiss public broadcaster SRF first reported the case. The youngest victim was reportedly one year old, the oldest four, with most of the abused children said to be girls.
The alleged abuse only came to light when the group leader was arrested in February 2024 on suspicion of possessing child pornography online. During the investigation, police seized video recordings that allegedly document the sexual abuse—footage the suspect himself had created.
Without his arrest, the accused might still be working as a group leader at the Bern daycare, his alleged crimes undetected—even though both facilities had child protection policies in place at the time of his hiring. How could this happen?
"Having a protection policy alone isn't enough," says Tamara Parham, deputy director of Child Protection Switzerland (Kinderschutz Schweiz), an organization that advises institutions on developing effective safeguarding measures. Parham explains what truly matters: the issue of abuse must be addressed during recruitment, and candidates must be thoroughly vetted.
During onboarding, employees must be shown how the protection policy is applied in practice. "This means concrete rules: When can a staff member be alone with children in a room? Should doors stay open? What are the guidelines on physical contact?"
Parham advises parents to ask these very questions before enrolling their child in a daycare. "If, as a parent, I realize in conversation that the center isn't prepared on these points, I'd look for another daycare."
The catch? In many parts of Switzerland, limited daycare spots leave parents with little choice. According to the Federal Statistical Office, nearly 40% of children under 13 attended daycare in 2023. The industry association Kibesuisse reported an average occupancy rate of 82% for Swiss daycare centers that same year.
Yet Parham insists: "Even when spaces are scarce, safe environments for babies and children must be a given—especially in daycare."
But even with a robust protection policy, this case suggests that safety isn't guaranteed. Currently, such policies are voluntary for daycare centers, meaning cantons, municipalities, and their authorities have no oversight responsibilities. Whether a policy is actually followed in daily operations is left to the daycare itself. Parham argues:
"Daycare centers should be legally required to implement a protection policy, which must then be regularly inspected by independent bodies."
This case also raises another issue: as a group leader, the accused held a pedagogical leadership role. Would subordinate staff feel empowered to enforce protection rules against someone higher in the hierarchy?
Parham acknowledges the problem: "Every institution must have a designated child protection contact—someone employees can turn to anonymously if something feels wrong." After all, she notes, even the best policy is useless if it isn't put into practice.
