The home childcare market remains tight in most French urban areas. Between childminders with fully booked schedules and nannies at home who are difficult to assess without a network, parents often find themselves searching urgently, with few reliable references. The regulatory framework has recently evolved, particularly regarding background checks and the calculation of subsidies, which changes the approach to this search.
Certificate of good conduct and checks: what changes for hiring a nanny
Since the announced generalization on October 1, 2025, professionals working with minors may be required to present a certificate of good conduct verifying their criminal records. This system, managed by state services, aims to enhance the safety of children entrusted to third parties.
For parents, this translates into a concrete lever when recruiting. You can ask a candidate to present this document, in addition to their identification and professional references. This document does not replace the interview or the trial period, but it serves as an objective filter that competitors on this subject rarely mention with precision.
Note: this certificate applies to both home childcare and childminders. However, for the latter, the approval issued by the departmental council after evaluation by the PMI remains the central prerequisite. A childminder without valid approval simply cannot legally operate.
Among nanny solutions on Blog Famille, several platforms detail these distinctions and facilitate connections with already verified profiles.
Home childcare or childminder: two statuses, two contractual realities
The confusion between these two modes of childcare remains common, and it has direct consequences on the budget, administrative procedures, and the daily lives of families.
Home childcare
A nanny at home is an employee directly hired by the parents. She works at your home, which avoids travel with the child. No approval is required to practice this profession, unlike a childminder. Parents become employers: they draft an employment contract, declare the hours each month via Pajemploi, and issue a payslip.
This status involves adhering to the collective agreement for private employers and home employment. Obligations extend beyond payroll: paid leave, end-of-contract indemnities, and salary maintenance in case of illness apply.
The approved childminder
The childminder welcomes the child into her home. Her approval, issued by the departmental council, sets the number of children she can care for simultaneously. The PMI (Maternal and Child Protection) assesses the compliance of the housing and the candidate’s skills before any issuance.
The contract follows a specific framework, distinct from that of home childcare. Hourly rates, maintenance and meal allowances are subject to regulated negotiations. The declaration also goes through Pajemploi.
- Home childcare: the child stays at your place, no mandatory approval, generally higher cost unless shared with another family
- Childminder: the child is welcomed at the professional’s home, mandatory approval, often more accessible rates but limited spots
- In both cases: Pajemploi declaration, mandatory written contract, access to the free choice of childcare supplement (CMG)
New CMG calculation: anticipating the real cost of care
Since September 2025, the free choice of childcare supplement for direct employment is no longer paid according to a fixed rate. The amount is now calculated each month based on the actual hours worked, household resources, and the declared hourly cost.
This change has a direct consequence: the out-of-pocket expenses for parents can vary from month to month, particularly for families using irregular hours (shift work, weekend care, alternating weeks). A full-time month and a part-time month will not generate the same aid.
Field feedback varies on the actual impact of this reform. Some families notice a gain due to a more accurate calculation, while others experience a loss linked to monthly variability. The tax credit for childcare expenses, which adds to the CMG, remains calculated annually and helps to smooth out these fluctuations.
Evaluating a nanny candidate: concrete checks to carry out
Beyond the feeling during a first exchange, several factual checks can help reduce the risk of recruitment errors.
- Request the certificate of good conduct and verify its validity date, in addition to an identification document
- Contact at least two former employers by phone, not just in writing (oral exchanges reveal nuances that written recommendations omit)
- Check, for a childminder, that the approval is valid and that the number of children cared for complies with the authorized limit
- Organize a meeting with the child present, for a sufficient duration to observe interactions (at least half an hour, not a five-minute exchange at the door)
- Explicitly address emergency situations: what does she do if the child gets hurt, has a fever, or has an allergic reaction
A written contract signed before the first day of care remains the most effective protection for both parties. It sets the hours, remuneration, conditions for termination, and mutual obligations. Failing to formalize this agreement exposes one to disputes that are difficult to resolve.
The trial period, often underestimated, allows for checking daily compatibility. It is only valuable if parents actively observe the daily routine during the first weeks, sometimes coming home earlier or asking specific questions to the child according to their age.
Finding a reliable nanny thus combines recent administrative checks and a human evaluation work that nothing can replace. Regulatory tools are strengthening, but parental judgment remains the final filter, the one that makes the difference between a forced childcare mode and a true choice of trust.
