FRANCE
State-run crèches in France are heavily subsidised. Families are means-tested to establish how much they pay, and children can join from the age of three months. Most crèches are open from 7.30am to 8pm. This means that more than 64 per cent of women work outside the home – two per cent more than the EU average, according to the French Embassy.
Private nurseries are available. State and private settings require providers to have a high level of training. Places are not guaranteed and competition means parents often register children at birth.
Childminders are expected to hold a childcare diploma and are regularly inspected. In Britain, childminders can look after only three children at a time including their own, but in France the ratio is one to four. Families who use childminders or hire nannies to care for children in their home are eligible for tax breaks, in the form of a monthly rebate paid by the state, which amounts to around a third of the total cost of care.
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