CMG: the French childcare benefit when you employ a childminder

What the CMG pays for

It has two parts. First, it pays the social contributions of the job, within a ceiling: all of them for a registered childminder, 50% for a home nanny. Second, it covers part of the cost of care.

The amount depends on your monthly household income, the number of dependent children, the hourly cost of care (for a childminder: salary, meal costs and maintenance allowances, within an hourly ceiling) and the number of hours per month.

Who can receive it

• Your child is under 6, or under 12 if you are a single parent.
• You work (and so does your partner if you live as a couple). Sick, maternity or paternity pay, paid unemployment and paid training also count; some situations (studies, AAH, RSA with job-seeker registration…) are exempt — check your case on Service-Public.
• You employ the childminder (at home or in a MAM) or the nanny yourself and declare the salary every month on Pajemploi.

What changed in September 2025

• A more personalised calculation, close to the one used for crèches: every hour of care counts and is partly financed.
• No more difference between children under 3 and those aged 3 to 6.
• End of the minimum 15% of the cost that families always had to pay.
• Single parents: CMG possible until the child is 12.

Shared custody: one CMG per parent since 1 December 2025

When the child really lives in alternating residence (résidence alternée), each parent can receive the CMG, calculated on his or her own situation — it is not split. Each parent signs a separate employment contract with the childminder, even if it is the same person, and declares the hours and salary on Pajemploi every month. Tell your Caf about the shared custody.

Applying and getting paid

For a first application, use your Caf account and the online service « Demande de complément de libre choix du mode de garde (Cmg-Paje) » (or the MSA for the farming scheme). After that, everything goes through your monthly Pajemploi declaration: Pajemploi calculates and pays the CMG.

Without Pajemploi+, the CMG is paid into your bank account; with Pajemploi+, it is deducted directly from the salary taken from your account. Pajemploi+ currently needs your employee's agreement and becomes compulsory on 1 September 2027 for families receiving the CMG. Report any change (birth, separation, move, unemployment) to the Caf quickly.

Estimating your CMG

The Urssaf offers an official simulator to estimate your CMG and what remains at your charge before the tax credit. Have your income, number of children, monthly hours and hourly cost ready. The result is an estimate: the amount actually paid is calculated every month by Pajemploi from your declaration.

Frequently asked questions