Life stages in Liechtenstein

Children under 14, young people aged 14 to under 18 and adults aged 18 or older have different legal positions and support needs in Liechtenstein. Children and young people are protected by the Child and Youth Act and child-rights standards. The Child and Youth Service, abbreviated KJD, provides state support in difficult situations, including family assistance, protective measures and welfare measures. The Office for Social Services, abbreviated ASD, supervises approved out-of-home childcare. Day-care centres generally accept children from about four months until kindergarten entry, while school-age children may use childcare structures and lunch services. Fees and subsidies depend on the provider and municipality; Liechtenstein has no single nationwide childcare fee or subsidy scale. Schooling normally begins with kindergarten at age four and usually lasts two years. Compulsory education then comprises five years of primary school and four years of secondary school, making nine compulsory school years. After compulsory school, options include a tenth school year, a grammar school leading to the Matura, dual vocational training, and vocational baccalaureate education. The Office for Vocational Training and Career Guidance, abbreviated ABB, and its Education and Career Information Centre, abbreviated BIZ, advise young people and adults on education, study, careers, further training and occupational mobility. Study grants and loans are available under defined conditions after compulsory schooling. The usual residence requirement is three uninterrupted years or five years with interruptions; since 1 January 2025, the age limit has been removed. Funding can last up to eight years, and each application normally covers no more than one year. At working age, the unemployment insurance system, abbreviated ALV, generally requires residence in Liechtenstein, completion of compulsory schooling, an age below the ordinary AHV retirement age, ability to work and a sufficient contribution period or an applicable exemption. Registration must be made personally, and a claim normally expires after three months. The daily allowance is generally 70% or 80% of insured earnings, with the maximum number of daily allowances depending on age and contribution history. Possible maximums are 130, 200, 260, 400 or 500 days. The ASD also provides confidential social counselling on personal, social and financial problems, transfer benefits and work projects. Economic social assistance is a legal benefit for securing the social minimum and can cover basic needs, housing costs and health-related costs after an initial consultation and an individual assessment. Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood create specific employment and benefit transitions. An employed parent may receive 20 weeks of maternity benefit, including at least 16 weeks after birth, when the health-insurance requirement of 270 days is met. Parental allowance requires more than six uninterrupted months with the same Liechtenstein employer. Each parent may receive up to four months of parental leave, with two months paid. Payment can be claimed until the biological child reaches three years or an adopted or foster child reaches five years. The amount is 100% of the average AHV-insured monthly wage from the previous 12 months, up to CHF 4,900 per month. The parent or employer must register the claim with the Family Compensation Fund, abbreviated FAK. An equivalent foreign benefit cannot be paid twice for the same period. Marriage, divorce, maintenance and other core family-law questions belong primarily to the Family topic rather than this life-stages overview. The ordinary AHV retirement age is 64 for people born up to 1957 and 65 for people born from 1958 onward. A pension can generally be taken early from age 60 or deferred until age 70. The pension claim must be submitted in writing; applying about three months before retirement is advisable. At least one year of AHV contributions is required, and the pension does not begin automatically. The Senior Citizens' Advisory Council advises the government, while the Seniorenbund is a voluntary interest association. Municipalities offer different senior centres and activities. Residential care is provided, among others, by LAK facilities in Vaduz, Eschen, Schaan, Triesen and Triesenberg, and by Pflegeheim Schlossgarten in Balzers. Prices depend on the facility and service package, so no uniform national senior-care cost can be stated. Care dependency can qualify for care and assistance allowance when the person has a civil-law residence in Liechtenstein, the health-related need is expected to last more than three months, substantial help from another person is required for everyday activities and third-party care costs arise. The AHV, Invalidity Insurance and Family Compensation Fund, abbreviated AHV-IV-FAK, determine the level with input from a specialist service and the family doctor. The allowance is earmarked for paying caregivers or institutions and cannot be treated as unrestricted income. A helplessness allowance may be available independently of financial circumstances when the person is helpless and has a Liechtenstein residence or compulsory Liechtenstein health insurance, unless an accident-insurance or equivalent foreign benefit applies. The application is submitted to Invalidity Insurance. Spitex services are provided by Familienhilfe Liechtenstein and Lebenshilfe Balzers and may include community nursing, household help, meal delivery and other support. Tariffs depend on the provider and service. The KJD supports children and families during crises, severe stress and situations that exceed available family resources. Support may be provided at home through social-pedagogical family assistance and relief services, or outside the home through foster care or a therapeutic-pedagogical institution. Possible threats to a child's welfare include violence, sexual abuse, neglect and witnessing violence between parents. The ASD's Psychiatric-Psychological Service is a first contact for complex psychosocial crises, accepts self-referrals and can coordinate support after treatment in a foreign psychiatric hospital. The Victim Support Office offers confidential advice and assistance after criminal offences. In acute domestic violence, contact the Liechtenstein National Police at 117 or the women's shelter at +423 380 02 03. Children and young people can contact 147.ch free of charge, anonymously and confidentially at any time by telephone, chat, email or WhatsApp. There is no single authority or comprehensive law covering every life stage. The responsible body changes with the issue: the KJD and ASD for child and family support, the School Office for schooling, the ABB and BIZ for education and careers, AHV-IV-FAK for pensions and selected benefits, municipalities for local services, and providers such as LAK, Familienhilfe Liechtenstein and Lebenshilfe Balzers for care and support. Residence status, insurance, income, age, contribution history, provider capacity and municipal arrangements can change the result. Check the responsible body and the current individual tariff or deadline before relying on a benefit or service.