Childcare in France

The crèche is a collective nursery for children from two months to three years, usually open from half past seven to half past six, and run by the municipality (crèche municipale) or cooperatively or privately, and its fees are set according to the family's income via the barème CAF (from about 0.5 to 5 euros an hour), so they are relatively low in the public sector.

• Its places are limited and demand is high.
• The approved carer (assistante maternelle agréée) is granted approval by the PMI under conditions, looks after a maximum of four children in her home, at prices by agreement (about 4 to 6 euros an hour) and under a contract (contrat) of which you keep a copy.
• The garde à domicile (a carer in the home) is more expensive and more flexible.
• The halte-garderie and jardin d'enfants are temporary care, and the RPE (Relais petite enfance) offers information and activities free.
• And choose according to your work, place and budget, and visit more than one place.

Start early, even during pregnancy, since nursery places are limited.

• Register via mon-enfant.fr (the CAF site for finding care places) and at your mairie (guichet unique or service petite enfance), and submit a request with documents: the family book, proof of address, proof of income (tax or CAF notice), the vaccination record, and the parents' work contracts.
• Applications are assessed by a committee (commission d'attribution) with criteria (parents' work, family situation and need) and you get a reply in months.
• For an approved carer you find lists via mon-enfant.fr or the RPE and agree directly and conclude a contract and declare on Pajemploi (the CAF service to declare the carer's pay and collect contributions).
• For home care via the CESU.
• Prices vary by region, and public nurseries offer the best.
• And ask about the tarif horaire and mensualisation.
• And for those with no place priority may be requested for families in hard circumstances.

The CAF offers the PAJE (Prestation d'accueil du jeune enfant): the prime à la naissance (birth bonus about 1000 euros) and the allocation de base monthly for those with limited income, and the PreParE (parental leave allowance), and the CMG (complément de libre choix du mode de garde) that reimburses part of the approved carer's pay or private nursery fees or the carer according to your income and number of children.

• And the allocations familiales are paid from the second child (about 140 euros for two children) monthly without an income ceiling (changing by income), and the complément familial for three children with limited income, and the ARS back-to-school, and the APL for housing, and the RSA and the prime d'activité.
• They are requested on caf.fr after the birth.
• And tax is reduced by the crédit d'impôt garde d'enfants at 50 percent of childcare expenses (up to 3500 euros).
• And legally resident foreigners may benefit under conditions (a residence card and children legally resident), so check your status.

The employee has the right to congé de maternité of 16 weeks for the first and second birth (6 before birth and 10 after), and 26 weeks for the third, with an allowance from the security (IJ) about 100 percent of pay with a ceiling, often supplemented by the agreement.

• And the father or partner has congé de paternité et d'accueil de l'enfant of 25 days (28 for twins) of which 4 days are compulsory right after birth.
• And after it the congé parental d'éducation, parental leave up to three years unpaid with PreParE.
• You tell the employer of the pregnancy and the leave date.
• The law bans dismissing a pregnant woman during pregnancy and maternity (and four weeks after).
• And for the self-employed there is a special allowance.
• And the birth is declared at the mairie within five days (so the child is recorded in the civil status), and the child gets a numéro de sécurité sociale as soon as registered.
• And for foreign parents the child's status as French if born in France depends on the case, so consult.

The PMI (Protection maternelle et infantile) offers free services for pregnant women and children under six: pregnancy follow-up, infant consultations (pesée), vaccinations, eye and dental checks, support for mothers and family planning.

• The child is given a carnet de santé (health book) in which vaccinations and checks are recorded so keep it. The compulsory vaccinations are eleven (diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, haemophilus, hepatitis B, pneumococcus, meningococcus, measles, mumps and rubella) a condition for entering nursery and school, and are given free at the doctor or PMI.
• And choose a pédiatre or a GP for your child (you can register him as médecin traitant after 16 years).
• For emergencies call 15 or 112, and for advice 3237 (the pharmacy).
• And for psychological support after birth there are associations.
• And municipalities organise lieux d'accueil enfants-parents (LAEP), free meeting places for families, so ask about them.

What is a crèche?