Parental assistants are self-employed childcare professionals who provide regular or occasional paid care (day or night) in their own home for children from birth to age twelve. For parents seeking a more family-friendly childcare environment or those with more atypical working hours, a parental assistant can be an attractive option.
The contract which outlays respective rights and obligations is negotiable to meet the specific needs of a family. A parental assistant can have a maximum of twelve contracts at a given time with the number of children being cared for simultaneously always limited to five.
This must include a maximum of two children under the age of two, these limitations include the parental assistants own children. The continuous care of a child cannot exceed three weeks.
All parental assistants must be certified by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth. As per government guidelines, an individual must submit a request and obtain approval to operate. They must be able to demonstrate that they hold the required professional qualifications; a diploma in psychosocial, educational, or socio-educational studies — or in the field of health — plus a training certificate for socio-family support functions and a training certificate for parental assistance functions.
A GP assessment of physical and psychological suitability to look after children is required as is a full criminal records check.
As with all childcare professionals, a parental assistant considers the best interests of the child and they are obligated to provide appropriate care based on age and needs. These include: primary care, rest and sleep; promotion of social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic and psychomotor skills; access to cultural, musical, artistic, cultural and athletic activities; regular organising of outings and supervision of studies and homework.
CSA in Luxembourg provides all working parents (residents and non-residents) with financial vouchers for childcare services for kids up to twelve years old. These vouchers are redeemable against a range of childcare provisions — including parental assistants.
Through CSA, the government pays part of the cost of childcare, seeking to alleviate financial pressures on parents who can in turn allocate funds elsewhere; extracurricular options become more affordable and families have more scope to save.
A parental assistant must meet certain conditions to register as a CSA service provider. First, they must have A2 level speaking proficiency in two of the three recognised languages (LU, FR, DE) in Luxembourg. They must then produce an educational project showing steps to integrate families into the community, while also referring to the national framework of ‘non-formal education of children and young people’ when producing a service offer. And, last of all, they must produce an annual report and undergo continuous training and supervision recognised by the state (40 hours over two years).
All parents (residents and non-residents) must meet conditions to be eligible to benefit from the CSA scheme, all relating to income. See here for further details.
Another place for information and support for childcare providers and parents is the “Agence Dageselteren” which aims to improve the quality of family childcare and promote work/life balance. It acts as a centre for education and further training with toys and a library on site. It also runs games and adventure groups.
