France has established a variety of services to support parents on a voluntary, free-of-charge basis. In part these support measures respond to evolving family structures (such as the rise in single-parent families, "blended families", teenage parenthood etc) which create different needs and demand new support systems. It is also a way of supporting the well-being of children more generally and an important part of the overall effort to combat child poverty and promote social inclusion in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Host Country : France

Place and date : Paris, 6. - 7.10.2011

Peer countries : Belgium - Bulgaria - Croatia - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Germany - Italy - Malta

Stakeholders : Coface, Eurochild

Support measures range from counselling to active intervention; one innovative programme empowers parents to build their own support networks. Programmes are funded or co-funded by various actors (the central government, local authorities, a centralised finance body in charge of family benefits) and various NGOs are involved in implementation.

France's Audit Commission ("Cour des Comptes") reported that the coordination of services could be more efficient. A committee has since been set up to benchmark best practice in other countries. The Peer Review supports these endeavours, providing the opportunity for participants to share expertise and innovative practices and obtain feedback. In addition, the Peer Review will enable France to collect ideas for improving policy coordination and increasing the cost effectiveness of the measure, an important objective in a context of tightening constraints on public spending.

Peer Review manager

Ms Ulrike Hiebl (ÖSB Consulting GmbH)