Ministry of solidarities and social cohesion Directorate general for social cohesion

1. Development of early childhood and educatin care services in FranceSpecific measures for childminders Ministry of solidarities and social cohesion Directorate general for social cohesion Unit “Families and parenting” 1

2. General objectives • 1st Objective :Increasing offer of ECEC services • Action plan for the period 2009-2012 - Plus 200.000 solutions : • Approximately 100.000 places with childminders • and 100.000 in collective structures ( 40.000 by optimising existing offer and 60.000 with new offer) • Level of offer today : • 343.000 places in collective structures • 1,2 millions places with childminders (but only 700.000 really operating) • 2nd objective : Diversifying ECEC services by creating new solutions « Jardins d’éveil » (« Awakening gardens ») : A new solution for 2-3/4 years old babies who don’t the opportunity to join early pre-schooling « Micro-crèches » (micro-nurseries) for 10 babies maximum « Maisons d’assistants maternels » (Houses of childminders) : For childminders who don’t want or can ’t work in their own homes

3. General objetives • 3rd objectif :Satisfying the need of profesionnals and giving better perspectives in terms of careers…: Implementation of a « Plan métiers » (Action plan for increasing training offer…) : * * * • 4th Objective : making the ECEC services more affordable A supplementary budget of 960 millions euros for the period 2009-2012 for collective structures (2 billions € in 2008 to 3 billions in 2012) planned by the National family fund Total public expenses : 13 billions per year (estimation) Enhanced rights for some publics (social minimim recipients): establishment of a real guarantee of childcare places (one in twenty) 3

4. The childminders (assistants maternels)Main figures 415.000 “assistants maternels” 310.000 in employment Number of children autho Number of children in care : 600.000 under 3 years 333.000 form 3 to 6 years Actual average duraction of work per child under 3 years : 124 hours per month Actual average duraction of work per child form 3 to 6 years : 71 hours per month Average number of children in care : 2 per childminder Average number of children from 3 to 6 years in care : 1 per childminder Average duraction of work (for 3 children in care) : 315 hour per month (Calculations : Average data from 1st to 3nd quarter - 2010)

5. The childminders (assistants maternels)Conditions of employment Wages : Statury 0,281 minimum hourly wage (2,49€ per hour and child) In fact : the average wage is 3€ per hour and child (Net pay per month for 315 hours : 945€ for 3 children in care) Maintenance allowance : 2,65€ per day and child (to pay overhead costs such as water…) Legal working time : 48 h per week maximum (calculating as an average of 4 or 12 months) Mandatory rest : 11 hours per day and 24 per week Daily and weekly rest are cumulative once a week : 35 hours per week continuously Individual right to traning under the collective agreement (20 hours per year) Written employment contract required with each employers for each child

6. The childminders (assistants maternels)Conditions of accreditation Accreditation upon request by the department of maternal and infant protection (depends on the “Conseil général” or “Département”) : Principles : Accreditation for 2 children minimum (simultaneously) Accreditation up to 4 children under 3 (included children ot the childminder) By notwithstanding : up to 6 children (in general given to support children before or after school) Accreditation for 5 years (renewable) Conditions : Mastery of the spoken french Sufficient size and quality of housing Ability to ensure health, safety, physical, intellectual and emotional development of the children Health compatible with childcare

7. Procedure : Information sessions for candidates National applicationform Processing of the application : 3 months maximum (non-response = accreditation) How goes the investigations ? Visits to the candidate Interviews with the candidate Verification of no criminal convictions Opinion of the mayor (optional) What is investigated? Availability, organization, adaptability Communication skills and dialogue Ability to identifiy dangersComfort, hygiene and housing security What is investigated? Availability, organization, adaptability Communication skills and dialogue Ability to identifiy dangersComfort, hygiene and housing security What happens after accreditation? Accreditation given for 5 years Training before begining the childcare : 60 hours (approx. 2 weeks) and introduction to first aid (approx. 10 hours). Traning after…: 60 hours within 2 years and continuin education funded by the professional branch. The childminders (assistants maternels)Conditions of accreditation

8. What happens during the professional practice? Control, monitoring and support Possibility of sanctions in case of breaches (suspension of 4 months and withdrawing of the accredittion) Obligation of information on departures and arrivals of children (usually once a year) Financial and technical supports to childminders and their employers : 0% interset loans for home improvment (up to 10.000€) Installation assistance for new childminders (up to 500€) - For buying toys… Micro-credit by social walfare group of the branch. Possibility of online registration on the Website “www.mon-enfant.fr” - For information of families about the availability of childminders (request by geolocation) Allocation for employment of childminders : Up to 85% of wage costs (Allocation by the National family fund), but the wage must not exceed 5 times the minimum wage (43,55€) for 8 hours. Tax credit up to 1150€ per year (50% of expenses capped at 2300€). Universal service employment check partially funded by the employer (recipient of a specific tax credit) for paying the wage of the childminder. Conditions of accreditation and employment

9. The innovative and alternative solutions for childcadre Les « Maisons d’assistants maternels » (« Houses of childminders ») 9

10. The innovative and alternative solutions for childcadre Specific case of “Houses of childminders” Created by law Nr 2010-625 of 9 June 2010 Conditions : Accreditation of each childminder (possibly by modification of an existing one) including visits to the « House of childminders » - « Maison d’assistants maternels ». Accredition can be given for professional practice directly in the « House of childminders » - « Maison d’assistants maternels ». Organization : Number of childminders by M.A.M. : 4 maximum simultaneously Number of children per childminder : 4 maximum Total : maximum 16 children and 4 childminders simultaneously Each parent may authorize his childminders to care children of other employers working in the same house : for mutual replacement between childminders (subjet to compliance with the maximum of children authorized by the accreditation Specific conditions : The authorization is mentionned in the employmentcontract. At the end of each month, each childmindermust have satisfied his commitments (number of hours…) 10

11. Development of early childhood and educatin care services policies in France - « Les jardins d’éveil » - - Kind of kindergartens for children between 2 and 3/3,5 years - Capacity : Between 12 and 80 children , to facilitate their integration into primary education Equivalent to nursery-school (pre-school) [Only 150.000 childern under 3 are in pre-school] Qualification of the professionals : At least half the staff must have qualifications such as pediatric nurse (puéricultrice), early childhood educators… Minimun staff : One adult for 12 children Part-time director (minimum 25%) Others requirements : Obligation of educationnal projet 11

12. Development of early childhood and educatin care services policies in France - Micro-nurseries (« micro-crèches ») - Capacity : 10 places Adult/child ratio : 1 for 5 children who don’t walk 1 for 8 children who wolf But a 2nd adult is needed only from the 4th child. Staff : Childminders with 3 years of experience. Childcare assistant (auxiliaire de puériculture) ... No need of director : Just a technical adviser that can be one of the adults in charge of children(assist and coordinate the activities of those responsible for supervising children) Main figures : 200 micro-nureseries (2010) 400 on 2012 Advantages : easy and fast to create Especially adapted for some areas (rural…) 12

13. Development of early childhood and educatin care services Coaching tools for profesionnals and project leaders Repository approval of childminders : Available on : http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Referentiel_PMI_bdef.pdf Repositoy of professional pratice of childminders (underway) Guide of collective childcare: Available on : http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Accueil_de_la_petite_enfance.pdf (In french) 13