Notifying your pregnancy to your employer by means of a medical certificate entitles you to benefit from the protection scheme for pregnant women. Although this is not mandatory, it is advisable to do so as soon as possible.

To benefit from maternity leave, you must provide your employer and the National Health Fund (CNS) with a medical certificate stating the estimated due date within the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. Maternity leave consists of 8 weeks‘ prenatal leave and 12 weeks’ postnatal leave.

You can take parental leave immediately after maternity leave or later, as long as you take it before your child's 6th birthday. During this leave, you will receive an allowance from the Children's Future Fund (Caisse pour l'avenir des enfants - CAE) as replacement income. Depending on the situation, parental leave can be taken on a full-time, part-time or split basis.

There are various types of financial aid available to help you in this new chapter of life.

The birth allowance is paid when the child is born and is divided into 3 successive instalments. It is granted if you have undergone the compulsory medical examinations and regular medical surveillance and monitoring during your pregnancy. If you are not residing in Luxembourg, you cannot combine the Luxembourg birth allowance with a childbirth grant from your country of residence.

The family allowance is paid to cover costs for education and maintenance of your child until the end of their schooling or, if they pursue higher education, until the age of 25. Family allowances include a monthly allowance from birth and a back-to-school allowance from the age 6. To receive it, the child must reside in Luxembourg or, if this is not the case, one of the parents must be working in Luxembourg.

Children in receipt of the family allowance are automatically granted the back-to-school allowance. It is aimed specifically at children who are schooled from the age of 6 up to the end of their secondary education or equivalent. The back-to-school allowance is a one-off amount paid each year before the start of the school year in August.

Whether you are a resident or not, if your child is born in Luxembourg, you must declare the birth to the civil registrar in the commune where the child was born. You must make this declaration within 10 days of giving birth (the deadline is extended if the last day is a weekend or public holiday).

If you are an employed or self-employed father or are recognised as a second parent, you are entitled to 10 days‘ paternity leave (’Pappecongé') for the birth of your child. You can choose the dates of this leave according to your preferences, unless company requirements dictate otherwise. In the event of disagreement with your employer, the leave must be taken in one go and immediately after the birth.

Depending on their young child's needs, parents can request a range of support measures, including:

• the 'Bilan 30' programme: screening for language impairment in children aged 30 months;
• the PAI: a personalised plan to facilitate the integration of children with special needs into school;
• early years support: support for children aged 0 to 4, including those with a disability or at risk of a developmental disorder;
• 'Vision Test 10' and 'Vision Test 40': Free, voluntary vision screening for children aged 10 and 40 months.