The cabinet is looking to introduce a legal framework for multilingual childcare by 2024 following a number of experimental try-outs in the sector, the social affairs ministry has announced.

The new legislation would make it possible for staff spend 50% of the time they are with children speaking to them in a different language, such as French, German or English.

In this way children become familiar with more than one language and it will better prepare them for multilingual primary schools, the ministry said.

The draft legislation has been put online for consultation until the end of 2023.