A new website has been set up in the Geneva area, designed to help parents and families find the best child care solution for their needs.Called Baby Best Friend (www.babybestfriend.ch), this comprehensive online platform, aims to put parents in touch with independent child-care workers, who can be selected according to a range of different criteria. You can indicate, for example, whether you require a baby sitter, nanny or day care mother, where you live and what language you speak.
Browsing the database contained within the website requires no registration and is absolutely free. The database provides a short profile on each candidate, excluding their full name and contact details. Once you find a potential candidate, you are asked to register for membership in order to obtain the contact information and full profile details for all baby-sitters, nannies, day-care moms, etc. on the site.
Explaining why she decided to set up the website, Baby Best Friend founder, Yasmina, says, “ Given the high number of families moving into and out of the Geneva area, it is clear that many of the traditional support networks provided by extended families in the last century do not exist for many families here. This is often due to relocation from one's place of origin due to work, but can also be due to marriage or just simply life's circumstances.”
Moving to a new city with a new language and culture can be an overwhelming experience. Among the many challenges facing expats is finding high quality medical care for the whole family.DOC in the CITY (DOC) is a comprehensive and free medical service that provides access to a network of over 100 medical care professionals, and which was put in place to specifically address the needs of expatriates in Geneva by offering advice in both French and English.
Set up 18 months ago by pediatrician/sports med specialist, Dr Marc Kaplun, DOC is managed out of one office and provides “one phone call access” for all of your medical requirements: general practitioners, pediatricians, OB/GYNs, ophthalmologists, dentists, pharmacists, specialists etc. In the case of emergency or extreme difficulty, DOC will even arrange a visit to your home.
According to Dr Kaplun, DOC will ensure that patients are able to see a GP within 2 days or a specialist within 5 days, and will arrange for all bills from attending doctors and/or medical facilities to be sent directly to DOC. Upon verification, the bills are then forwarded directly to your insurance company, with a copy to you. Providing your insurer provides worldwide coverage, you will incur no out-of-pocket expenses. All other services (advice, referrals, etc) are free of charge.
DOC can also centralize all of your families’ medical records so that when it's time to move on or return to your home country, they will provide your records on a USB key.
For more information or to set up an appointment, you should call DOC in the CITY on 022 789 8000 or visit the comprehensive website, www.docinthecity.ch. The site is provided in both French and English and includes useful information on prescription drugs, duty chemists and vaccinations, as well as advice for travelers.
