Help, please

Does anyone know what is involved in starting a licensed daycare in France? I plan to purchase a property in France, hopefully in the Spring. I have a professional license to do mental and behavioral health counseling in Texas but my French is not good enough to do therapy in France or even take a licensing exam in France. I love working with children and I have a Master’s Degree in Education. I think my French is good enough to work with young children and I will continue to study French. Please help set me on the right path so I can begin surviving France.

Thank you so much Catharine, Jane, Sarah, and Wendy. I’m absorbing all your feedback. I’ve bookmarked the websites you’ve provided for me. Some are in French, so those will take me some time to learn how to navigate. It’s a great start! Merci beaucoup, Mesdames.

You might like to contact Lorraine at Kindermusik http://facilitutors.com/index.php?ch=15&id=379 then you would get the backing of an established company which is really booming here in France.

To open a private creche you can read this
http://emploi.france5.fr/emploi/creation-entreprise/lancer-son-activite/40387193-fr.php

There’s a ton of strict regulations and norms to observe but the CAF can help apparently.

Hello, you can find answers here
http://www.assistante-maternelle.biz/devenir_assistante_maternelle_1.html
and here
http://www.dossierfamilial.com/emploi/formation/devenir-assistante-maternelle,959

I think it would be mega difficult to set up your own private creche/nursery apart from all the red tape involved/charges etc.Anyone employed by you would have to have CAP Petite Enfance, and that’s just the minimum. I’m sure someone else will know much more about it. It’s true that to look after children in your own home is fairly easy, you will basically just be a childminder or “Nounou”. Most of the time though the wage is just the minimum, this had to be declared and I don’t think you can employ anyone to help you. You will have to have lots of checks on the house to make sure it complies with safety etc.There must be a site somewhere to help you with more specific imformation.

If you want to look after children in your own home it is relatively simple - I have no idea how complicated it is if you want to run a full on nursery. Probably very! Generally the state system is so good in France that there are very few private creche type structures. But working as a childminder in your own home is very common.