Employees have the right to take child care leave to look after a biological child of their own or another child who lives with them until the child’s third birthday without terminating their employment relationship.

However when a child has been adopted, the parent’s eligibility for child-care leave continues for a period of two years from the date of adoption or until the child starts school.

Child care leave can be taken in two blocks of at least one month each. However, child care leave can also be split into more blocks of shorter duration with the employer’s consent.

Only one parent or guardian can be on child care leave at a time. However, one of the parents or guardians can take one block of child-care leave while the other parent or guardian is on pregnancy leave or parental leave.

---

 

This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for?