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Childcare, family activities and education in Colombia

S'expatrier en famille en Colombie
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Updated byAnne-Lise Mtyon 19 September 2017

Family is extremely important to Colombians and many expats find it a great place to raise children. Colombia boasts access to excellent international schools as well as nursery schools for younger children. 草榴社区s looking to adopt in Colombia will also find information on the country鈥檚 adoption policies.

International Schools

Colombia has a large variety of international schools who provide high-quality education, extracurricular activities, and facilities. While the majority are found in the capital city of Bogot谩, there are international schools in each Colombia's six largest cities. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) and Council of International Schools provide lists of member institutions in Colombia.

The IBO course system is most common and there are currently more than 40 of these schools in the country. Many of Colombia's international schools are bilingual, with teaching in English, French or German and Spanish.

Tuition for intentional schools is more expensive than local private schools and increases according to age group. However, costs are similar to those in the U.S. and Europe for private education. Be sure to consider additional costs such as application and enrollment fees, transportation, and school development fees.

Daycare in Colombia

草榴社区s in Colombia will find plentiful options for daycare. Jardnes infantiles or nursery schools are in all cities and provide care or pre-school education to children up to five years of age. Most international schools offer pre-school programming beginning at three years of age. An alternative to traditional daycare that is affordable for many expats in Colombia is a nanny or in-home caregiver.

Family activities in Colombia

Colombian culture is family oriented and children are included in all parts of life. That said, most tours and excursions accommodate children, so they too can see the exciting traditions and beautiful nature the country has to offer. Bogot谩 is home to multiple amusement parks and the Botero and Gold Museums have special interactive sections for children. In the coffee region, there is a butterfly garden and National Coffee Park with rides. Cali's zoo is known as one of the best in Latin America. The botanical gardens in Medell铆n, Bogot谩, and the Amazon are also very good outings with children. See the Leisure脙 article for more information on outings and things to do in Colombia.

Adoption policies

Private adoption is prohibited in Colombia. All adoptions are managed by the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) or other authorized institution. Intercountry adoptions are carried out in accordance with the Hague Adoption Convention. The process has two stages, the administrative process through the ICBF and a judicial process which finalizes the adoption. Prospective adoptive parents must reside in the Colombia during both phases of the process.

Important:

As of 2013, the ICBF has put an indefinite hold on applications from non-Colombian citizens seeking to adopt a child under seven years of age. Children under seven with special needs or medical conditions are exempted from this rule.

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We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.

About

Anne-Lise studied Psychology for 4 years in the UK before finding her way back to Mauritius and being a journalist for 3 years and heading 草榴社区's editorial department for 5. She loves politics, books, tea, running, swimming, hiking...

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