The PreParE (prestation partagée d'éducation de l'enfant, France's shared childcare benefit) is paid by the CAF (French family benefits office) or the MSA (French agricultural social security fund) to a parent who stops or reduces work to look after a child under 3. In 2026, it amounts to €459.70 a month if you stop working completely. For a first child, each parent can receive it for 6 months, up to the child's first birthday.
This article sets out the rules from the official Service-Public.fr (French government information website) factsheet, checked on 1 June 2026: amounts, duration, conditions, what can be combined and how to apply. It also points out what the factsheet doesn't say, so you can avoid any nasty surprises.
How much is the PreParE in 2026?
The amount depends on how much of your working time you keep. According to Service-Public.fr:
- Work stopped completely: €459.70 a month.
- Part-time of 50 % maximum: €297.17 a month.
- Part-time between 50 % and 80 %: €171.42 a month.
Both parents in a couple can each receive a PreParE at the same time, for example if they both reduce their working hours. The two payments combined cannot then exceed €459.70 a month.
The higher-rate PreParE, for three or more children
From three dependent children, a parent who stops working completely can opt for a higher-rate PreParE of €751.40 a month. It is not available if you work part-time. If both parents receive it for the same month, their combined total is capped at €751.40.
These are flat-rate amounts: they depend neither on your previous salary nor on household income. That is what sets the PreParE apart from the additional birth leave (congé supplémentaire de naissance), which is paid as a percentage of salary.
How long is the PreParE paid for?
The duration depends on the number of children and your family situation. After a birth:
- couple with one child: 6 months for each parent, up to the child's first birthday;
- couple with two or more children: up to 24 months for each parent, until the youngest child's third birthday;
- single parent: until the first birthday for one child, until the youngest child's third birthday from two children.
For a couple with two or more children, the duration is reduced by the number of months of daily allowances received after the birth. In practice, maternity or paternity leave uses up part of the entitlement.
Why sharing between parents matters
For a first child, entitlements are individual: 6 months for one parent, 6 months for the other. One parent cannot use the other's months. In effect, this split encourages both parents to take time off, each in turn.
After an adoption
For a couple adopting a child, the benefit covers the first 12 months after the child arrives in the home, and the parents can share it. For two or more children, it can be extended until the third birthday if the child is not yet 3.
A possible extension if no nursery place is available
The PreParE can be extended until the September following the child's birthday. You need at least two dependent children, no place at a nursery or with another childcare provider, and income below the ceiling for the complément familial (a French family supplement). For a couple, at least one of the two parents must be in work.
What are the conditions for receiving the PreParE?
In the general case, three conditions must all be met:
- have at least one child under 3, or under 20 in the case of adoption;
- have stopped work completely or partially;
- be able to show at least 8 quarters of state pension contributions over a reference period.
The reference period varies with the number of dependent children: the last 2 years for one child, the last 4 years for two children, the last 5 years from three. For a first child, quarters credited for paid unemployment do not count.
An employee must take parental leave for childcare (congé parental d'éducation), full-time or part-time, from their employer. A public-sector employee takes parental leave or works part-time. A self-employed person must prove that they have reduced or stopped their activity.
PreParE and other income: what can and cannot be combined
This is the most technical point, and the one that shapes your timetable. At the full rate, the PreParE cannot be combined with:
- maternity, paternity or adoption leave pay, except during the first month of payment for a single dependent child;
- additional birth leave pay;
- sickness or workplace accident benefits, with the same first-month exception;
- unemployment benefits, although these can be suspended until the PreParE ends;
- the complément familial, paid holiday pay, retirement and invalidity pensions;
- a salary, except for two months when returning to work if the child is between 18 and 29 months old and there are at least two dependent children.
At the partial rate, the logic is similar. Salary is paid only for the time worked, and other benefits cannot be combined with it unless the PreParE started before them.
Choosing between additional birth leave and the PreParE
Since 1 July 2026, a new leave of one to two months per parent has existed, paid at 70 % then 60 % of capped salary. It cannot be combined with the PreParE for the same period. For most salaries, its payment is higher than the flat-rate PreParE amount. Its rules are explained in our article on additional birth leave.
What the factsheet doesn't specify
The PreParE factsheet does not cover how it interacts with the allocation de base (basic allowance) or with the complément de libre choix du mode de garde (childcare cost supplement). Check your situation with your CAF or MSA before deciding. These two benefits are covered in our articles on the Paje basic allowance and on the CMG for childminders.
How do you apply for the PreParE?
- You are not yet receiving CAF benefits: send the CAF cerfa forms no. 11423 and no. 12324.
- You already receive CAF benefits: update your online account, then send cerfa form no. 12324.
- You are covered by the MSA: the process is the same, with your own fund.
If you are still on maternity, paternity, adoption or sick leave, wait until those payments end before sending your application. The benefit is paid monthly, in arrears.
How the PreParE fits into the first year
For a first child, a typical timetable falls into three stages. Maternity leave lasts 16 weeks, 10 of them after the birth, as explained in our article on the length of maternity leave. Additional birth leave can follow, then the PreParE until the first birthday.
The flat-rate PreParE amount weighs on the household budget. You can plan the first year, benefits included, with our article on your baby's first-year budget. Finally, the question of childcare when you go back to work often comes up sooner than you think.
Key takeaways
The PreParE pays €459.70 a month if you stop working completely, €297.17 or €171.42 part-time, and €751.40 at the higher rate from three children. For a first child, each parent is entitled to 6 months before the first birthday. You need 8 quarters of contributions over a reference period. It cannot be combined with additional birth leave for the same month: compare the two before you choose.
Sources
- Service-Public.fr, “Prestation partagée d'éducation de l'enfant (PreParE)”, factsheet F313, checked on 1 June 2026.
