Child and Family Medal

Verified 09 March 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The Children and Families Medal is awarded to people (father, mother, etc.) who have raised many children with their dedication and attentive care. As of February 22, 2022, it can also be given to the volunteer and professional working with families and providing early childhood care and protection.

Family residing in France

  • A person who has raised or raised at least 4 children of French nationality, whose eldest child has reached the age of 16. The person must also have made a constant effort, in the exercise of the rights and duties related to children, to raise them in the best possible material and moral conditions
  • Person raising or having raised a child or children with dignity in a particularly difficult family, social or economic context
  • A person who has been raising or raising his siblings alone for at least 2 years, following the death of his parents
  • A person who has raised for at least 2 years an orphan with whom he or she is related
  • Widow or widow of war or of terrorism raising or having raised one or more children alone, by reason of the death of their spouse
  • Person who dedicates or has dedicated their professional life or their voluntary action to the support, protection and defense of children and families. This person has been active in the areas of early childhood care, child protection and parenting support.
  • Person who provides or has provided exceptional services for the support and support of families or for the support and protection of children and their rights

Please note

the medal may be awarded posthumously if the application is made within 2 years of the death.

The application for the Child and Family Medal is, in principle, made by the person who wishes to obtain it.

However, one of the following may apply:

  • Prefect
  • Parliamentary
  • Mayor
  • President of the Departmental Council, of the Caf: titleContent, of the local agricultural social mutual fund
  • President of the departmental union of family associations of the department where the person concerned resides

Please note

the person who is the subject of a proposal must sign a declaration of acceptance.

The application or proposal must be accompanied by the following documents:

  • Form cerfa no. 15319
  • Copy of the valid national identity card or passport (or residence permit or receipt for renewal of residence permit)
  • Extract from criminal record
  • Full copy or extract with filiation of each child's birth certificate
  • School certificate for all school-age children
  • In the case of divorce or separation, extract from the decision which pronounced it and any other judicial decision relating to parental authority
  • Certificates, if any, from persons or groups qualified and relating to the applicant's qualifications and merits

The application or the proposal for allocation must be submitted to the City Hall of the home of the person who will receive the medal.

Who shall I contact

The City Hall gives the person who files the file a receipt attesting to his request.

Warning  

during the investigation, any incomplete file, for which the city hall gave the person concerned a reminder, which remained unanswered, is rejected.

The complete files are checked and sent by the mayor to the prefect, with his opinion on the request or proposal.

The award decision shall be taken, according to the person concerned, after investigation by the following persons:

  • Prefect of the department and president of the departmental union of family associations
  • Prefect of the Department and Minister responsible for the Family
  • Minister in charge of the family on his own initiative or at the request of the prefect of the department together with that of the president of the departmental union of family associations

The award of the Child and Family Medal is purely honorary.

The person receives a medal, a diploma and the certificate of award. To this end, an official ceremony may be organized by the prefecture, the town hall or the departmental union of family associations (Udaf).

The person is entitled to wear his badge and medal in public.

The badge and medal can be purchased from the Monnaie de Paris or from private manufacturers.

Who shall I contact

A person who has been awarded the medal may lose it and have it removed if:

  • Loss of the exercise of a parent's rights and duties towards a child (loss of parental authority)
  • Conviction for one crime or a offense
  • Recognized demerit (loss of right due to misconduct, child abuse) or urgency

The request for withdrawal may be made by the same persons, other than the person concerned (the prefect, the mayor, the president of the general council, the family allowance fund, etc.) who have submitted his application.

The decision to withdraw shall be taken by the prefect. The latter shall inform the mayor of the domicile of the person concerned.

Family residing abroad

A family or person who

  • has raised or raised at least 4 children of French nationality,
  • or worked remarkably in the family field

The application for the Child and Family Medal is, in principle, made by the person who wishes to obtain it.

However, another person may nominate a candidate.

  • Form cerfa no. 15319, of which only pages 1 to 4 must be filled in
  • All civil documents (full copy or extract of birth certificate, marriage, death, filiation...) to establish that the candidate meets the conditions for the award of the medal
  • Copy of the French identity card or French passport of the children
  • School certificates for all school-age children
  • In the case of divorce or separation, extract from the decision which pronounced it and any other judicial decision relating to parental authority
  • All documents proving that the applicant has not been convicted in the country in which he is domiciled
  • For French candidates, copy of Bulletin n°3 of their criminal record

If these documents are drawn up in a foreign language, they must be accompanied by a translation into French provided by a sworn translator.

The application for the Children and Families Medal must reach the division of cabinets of ministers responsible for social affairs.

The decision shall be taken by ministerial order, after investigation.

The award of the Child and Family Medal is purely honorary.

The person receives a medal, a diploma and the certificate of award sent to him by the consulate.

The person has the right to wear his badge and medal in public.

The badge and medal can be purchased from the Monnaie de Paris or from private manufacturers.

Who shall I contact

A person who has been awarded the medal may lose it and have it removed if:

  • Loss of the exercise of a parent's rights and duties towards a child (loss of parental authority)
  • Conviction for one crime or a offense
  • Recognized demerit (loss of right due to misconduct, child abuse) or urgency

The request for withdrawal may be made by the same persons, other than the person concerned (the prefect, the mayor, the president of the general council, the family allowance fund, etc.) who have submitted his application.

The decision to withdraw shall be taken by the prefect. The latter shall inform the mayor of the domicile of the person concerned.

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