French Audit Office Recommends Extending Maternity Leave by One Month

The proposal aims to address childcare shortages and reduce public spending on early childhood care.

The Cour des Comptes suggests extending maternity leave by one month and improving parental leave compensation to alleviate demand for childcare services.
France's maternity leave duration for the first two children, currently at 16 weeks, is shorter than in many other OECD countries.
The changes could free up 35,000 childcare spots and reduce the need for 70,000 additional places, with a projected net cost of €350-360 million annually.
Public spending on childcare reached €16.1 billion in 2022, with crèche care identified as the most expensive option, accounting for nearly 90% of expenditures.
The report highlights challenges such as a shortage of early childhood professionals and an impending wave of retirements among childcare workers by 2030.