Extension of paternity leave: a recommendation "for the child, the nation, human life"

From 11 days to 9 weeks.

A report on the "first 1,000 days of the child" was submitted to the Secretary of State for Children and Families, Adrien Taquet in order to develop support for parenting.

Among the flagship measures, the extension of paternity leave from 11 days to 9 weeks is recommended.

Isabelle Filliozat, psychotherapist and vice-president of the committee of experts in charge of the report, explains on Europe 1 the importance of this recommendation "for the father, the child, the mother, for the nation, for human life" . 

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"Today this is a request from fathers. They are more and more eager to spend time with their children," she says.

"The longer a father stays with his children, the more he enjoys staying with his children."

A virtuous circle for the father of the family, but also for the mother.

According to the psychotherapist, extending paternity leave would also relieve them of a feeling of guilt, experienced mainly when they return to work.

"The feeling of guilt was related to 'is dad there? Are we two, a parent team?", Decrypts Isabelle Filliozat. 

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In this report submitted to the government, the experts also tackle parental leave.

They propose replacing this one-year unavailability, renewable twice and unpaid by a nine-month leave, which can be shared between the two parents and paid up to 75% of income. 

A pivotal period for the development of the child

The first 1,000 days of the child, a period from the fourth month of pregnancy to two years, are a pivotal period for its construction.

"These are the foundations, this is the moment when the brain is built, the neural networks are woven ... We have genetics, the genes of our parents, an inheritance, but there is also epigenetics, it is that is to say the way in which these genes will be expressed ", specifies Isabelle Filliozat.

"We insist a lot in the report on the fact that it is not 100% decisive. What is important is to ensure that the cocoon is as protective as possible, as supportive as possible. The 1,000 advantage early days, you can fix something much more easily than you can do at 40 or 50. "

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More broadly, the report focuses on parenting support, evoking breastfeeding, postpartum depression and the importance of public information campaigns to help young parents.

"We do not understand how complex this can be, and therefore interesting [to be parents, editor's note]", underlines Isabelle Filliozat.

This report sets the course, a baby has needs, his first 1,000 days are essential, parents have needs and there are many things that can be done to make this period the foundation of a bright future. " 

Government commitments

The various proposals will be the subject of an "expertise" by the government and will give rise to "announcements by the end of the month", announced Adrien Taquet.

Measures could be included in the 2021 Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS).

If the committee of experts does not yet know which recommendations will be retained, Isabelle Filliozat assures it: commitments have been made to "make France evolve on these subjects".

"France is late and has decided to catch up," she says.