Can I claim "Kleinkinderbetreuungsbeiträge" benefits for raising small children?

A friend of mine told me that she and her husband claimed something called "Kleinkinderbetreuungsbeiträge" which is basically a subsidy that compensated for her loss of income due to caring for her your child. I will be having my first child soon and there is no way that my salary can cover the costs of putting the baby in a creche on top of our normal expenses. Can we claim this benefit? We live in the Canton of Zurich.

Hi there,

The Canton of Zurich suspended childcare benefits for parents raising young children (Kleinkinderbetreuungsbeiträge) on April 1, 2016. Before this benefit was suspended, eligible parents of children beneath the age of 2 could claim a financial contribution towards the time spent raising their young children. To be eligible for this benefit, families had to have a relatively low income and the parents of the child in question had to work at least 100% between them.

Best regards from Moneyguru