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Parenting support (1/2)
Parenting support (soutien à la parentalité) is a set of actions decided by the State. It helps parents who find it hard to bring up and educate their children.
Key points of the sheet
- The actions are very varied. For example: listening to parents, giving them advice, informing them, in particular about children's needs, and encouraging them to help each other.
- These actions are based on major principles. They are set out in an official document: the national charter for parenting support.
- Support values the roles, plans and skills of parents. It is for all families, everywhere in France.
- It supports parents as a whole, according to the family context. It starts before the child's birth and continues until the child is 18.
- It respects equality between women and men. The actions take care not to pass on stereotypes.
- Each parent should be able, as far as possible, to have a place in the child's development. Other people can also be concerned: grandparents, step-parents, blended families…
- The interventions are varied and neutral from a political, philosophical and religious point of view. The volunteers or professionals who take part must be competent in parenting matters.
Words to know
- parenting support (soutien à la parentalité)
- It is a set of actions decided by the State to help parents who have difficulty educating their children.
- national charter for parenting support (charte nationale de soutien à la parentalité)
- It is the official document that sets the major principles of parenting support actions.
- peer mutual support (entraide entre pairs)
- The actions encourage parents to help each other.
- equality between women and men (égalité entre les femmes et les hommes)
- Support actions respect it and take care not to spread stereotypes.
- political, philosophical and religious neutrality (neutralité politique, philosophique, et confessionnelle)
- Parenting support interventions must respect these principles of neutrality.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who decides parenting support actions?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui décide les actions de soutien à la parentalité ?
Parenting support is a set of actions decided by the State.
Until what age of the child can parenting support help parents?
In French, the language of the exam: Jusqu'à quel âge de l'enfant le soutien à la parentalité peut-il accompagner les parents ?
Support helps parents from before the child's birth until the child is 18.
Which families is parenting support for?
In French, the language of the exam: À quelles familles s'adresse le soutien à la parentalité ?
One major principle is to be for all families, everywhere in France.
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More in this topic (Parenthood)
Source
Sheet “Le soutien à la parentalité (1/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.