Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern

What Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern does

Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern (MVB) is the official Fachstelle frühe Kindheit (specialized agency for early childhood) of Canton Bern, Switzerland, operating as a registered non-profit association (Verein) with 431 members. Founded in 2008 and headquartered at the Berner Generationenhaus in Bern, the organization provides free early-childhood counseling and parenting support to parents, caregivers, and grandparents of children from birth to age 5, plus coaching and training for professionals. Its service portfolio spans on-site counseling at four regional advisory centers (Bern-Mittelland, Emmental-Oberaargau, Oberland, Seeland-Biel/Jura bernois), home visits including the intensive Hausbesuchsangebot plus, group sessions, telephone counseling, digital channels (chat, email, online groups), and the specialized Schreibaby-Sprechstunde (cry-baby consultation) using the Entwicklungspsychologische Beratung (EPB) resource-oriented and systemic methodology.

The organization's underlying approach combines human-delivered counseling with structural support tools such as video-based parent-child situation analysis and a multilingual (18-language) digital presence. MVB does not operate a mobile app and has no disclosed AI, automation, or platform-as-a-service components; all core offerings are counselor-mediated. Its business model is non-transactional: services are free for end users and financed primarily by the Canton of Bern through two cantonal directorates (DIJ and GSI), with supplementary donations from 191 municipalities, church parishes, women's associations, and foundations to support projects outside public financing.

Distribution relies on referrals from midwives, pediatricians, social services, and family doctors, complemented by community presence (parent cafés, play groups, father-child meetings) and a canton-wide website (mvb-be.ch) with online appointment booking. In April 2025 MVB released an introductory video in 18 languages, and in July 2026 it launched the Angebot gewaltfreie Erziehung workshop in alignment with the new Swiss Civil Code provision on non-violent upbringing. Governance is exercised through a Vorstand (board) and a Geschäftsstelle (executive office); no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investors are disclosed.

Name

Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern

Legal name

Verein Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern

Website

https://mvb-be.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern is a publicly-financed non-profit specialist agency providing free early-childhood counseling, parenting support, home visits, and professional training to families with children from birth to age five across Canton Bern, Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family and Early Childhood Counseling Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO)

Keywords

• Early childhood counseling
• Parenting support services
• Family advisory services
• Home visit counseling
• Cry baby consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern (MVB) is the cantonal Fachstelle (specialist agency) for early childhood in the Canton of Bern, providing free counseling and support services for parents, caregivers, grandparents, and professionals regarding children from birth to age 5. Core offerings include in-person advisory center consultations, home visits, telephone and digital (chat, email, online group) counseling, group sessions and play groups, the specialized Schreibaby-Sprechstunde for crying babies, mother- and father-specific counseling, legal advice on parenthood and work, and professional training and child-protection coaching.

Product overview

Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern operates as a unified early childhood specialist service providing a comprehensive portfolio of free counseling and support services for parents, caregivers, and grandparents of children from birth to age 5. The offering is structured around multiple service delivery channels including in-person counseling at regional advisory centers, telephone counseling, digital services (chat, email, online groups), and home visits. Core specialized services include the Schreibaby-Sprechstunde (cry baby consultation using developmental psychological counseling methods), dedicated mother and father counseling, group sessions, and professional support services including child protection coaching and training. The organization also provides legal consultation on parenthood and work, and operates a shop for educational materials. All core offerings are funded by the Canton of Bern and are free for families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schreibaby-Sprechstunde: Specialized consultation service for parents of crying babies, offering support in finding causes and solutions when babies cry frequently without apparent reason

Products and services

• Beratung vor Ort (On-site counseling) In-person counseling services for parents and caregivers at advisory centers across the Canton of Bern.
• Gruppenberatung (Group counseling) Group counseling sessions covering topics such as baby and toddler travel, introduction of solid foods, and family relationships.
• Schreibaby-Sprechstunde (Cry baby consultation) Specialized consultation for parents of frequently crying babies, applying the developmental-psychological counseling (EPB) method to identify causes and solutions after physical causes have been excluded.
• Hausbesuchsangebot plus (Home visit offer plus) Extended home-visit service providing counseling and support for families in their own home environment, including intensive support for families with greater needs.
• Mütterberatung (Mother counseling) Specialized counseling services for mothers addressing topics specific to maternal needs and challenges.
• Väterberatung (Father counseling) Specialized counseling services for fathers, including Vater-Kind-Treffs (father-child meetings) and Väterrunden (father rounds).
• Telefonische Beratung (Telephone counseling) Free telephone counseling service available Monday to Friday, 8:00–19:00, providing immediate support and guidance.
• Digitale Beratung (Digital counseling) Digital counseling services including chat-based advice, online group counseling, and email-based counseling.
• Krabbelgruppen, Elterncafés (Play groups and parent cafés) Community-based group meetings for parents and their young children, including play groups and parent cafés.
• Rechtsauskunft zu Elternschaft und Arbeit (Legal advice on parenthood and work) Legal consultation service addressing the intersection of parenthood and employment matters.
• Beratungsstellen (Advisory centers) Physical advisory center locations across four regions of Canton Bern: Bern-Mittelland, Emmental-Oberaargau, Oberland, and Seeland-Biel/Jura bernois.
• Coaching in Kindesschutzfragen (Coaching in child protection matters) Professional coaching service for specialists on child protection matters, supporting collaboration and knowledge transfer.
• Schulungsangebote (Training offerings) Training and continuing education programs for professionals working with families and early childhood.
• Shop Online shop offering printed materials and brochures for parents, including the Schreibaby flyer.
• Grosseltern-Beratung (Grandparent counseling) Specialized counseling for grandparents, including advice, grandparent meetings, and information on safely navigating the grandparent role.
• Angebot gewaltfreie Erziehung (Non-violent upbringing workshop) A free three-part parent workshop introduced on 1 July 2026 alongside the codification of non-violent upbringing in the Swiss Civil Code, helping parents improve communication, resolve conflicts peacefully, and build closeness in everyday family life.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Direktion für Inneres und Justiz (DIJ) Kanton BerncoreOthersCantonal government department that provides core funding for MVB's services, enabling free access for all parents and caregivers in Canton Bern.
• Gesundheits-, Sozial- und Integrationsdirektion des Kantons Bern (GSI)coreOthersCantonal government department (Health, Social and Integration Directorate) that provides core funding for MVB's services, enabling free access for all parents and caregivers in Canton Bern.
• AEK BankminorOthersBank where donations are received for MVB. IBAN: CH79 0870 4001 4902 2811 3.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pro Juventute: Switzerland's largest child and youth welfare foundation offering parenting advice, emergency helpline (147), and family support across all cantons. Operates broadly in the same space as MVB but with a national footprint and wider portfolio.
• Caritas Schweiz: Large Swiss social-services organization covering family support, migration, and poverty alleviation. Compares to MVB through its family counseling and case-management components, but operates as a much broader social-services network.
• Kinderschutzbund Schweiz: National child protection organization providing counseling and advocacy for families. Overlaps with MVB's child-protection coaching and family-support services, but operates nationally and on a different mandate.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (SRK): National humanitarian organization offering family and elderly care programs, including Elternnotruf and family support services. Comparable to MVB in family-counseling scope, though it serves a much broader population.

Direct peers

• Mütter- und Väterberatung Basel-Stadt: Basel-Stadt's cantonal early-childhood advisory service offering free counseling and home visits for parents of children 0–5. Functionally identical offering financed by another Swiss canton.
• Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Zürich: Cantonal Mutter- und Väterberatung in Zürich delivering the same early-childhood counseling, home visits, and group sessions model funded by the Canton of Zürich. Same operational model, same regulatory moat, different geography.
• Mütterhilfe: Swiss foundation supporting mothers in difficult life situations through counseling, financial aid, and practical assistance. Overlaps with MVB's mother-counseling and family-stability offerings.

Others

• Schweizerischer Hebammenverband: National midwives' association. MVB relies heavily on referrals from midwives, and the two work closely together — making the Hebammenverband a key referral partner and adjacent professional body in the same early-childhood care pathway.
• Stiftung Kinderdorf Pestalozzi: Swiss foundation focused on children's rights and education, including parenting and family-capacity programs. Adjacent to MVB's mission but oriented to international development and educational policy rather than direct local service delivery.

Emerging players

• PEP – Prävention, Erziehung und Elternschaft: Swiss platform providing structured parenting programs and courses. Comparable in target audience (parents of young children) and educational/coaching content, but commercial and digital-first versus MVB's free public-service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mütter- und Väterberatung Kanton Bern