France

Intro France.

Professional recognition
in France

In France, psychomotor therapist is a healthcare professional whose practice, carried out upon a medical doctor’s prescription, is regulated by law. The profession is therefore listed in Book IV of the Public Health Code and holds the status of an Auxiliary to Medicine.

The professional title is

Psychomotricien
Diplomé d’Etat (D.E)

The profession is

recognized

The profession is recognized as such by state health and educational authorities, as well as private institutions and insurance companies.

protected

The title of psychomotor therapist is protected and reserved for holders of the State diploma (Diplôme d’Etat).

state-regulated

The profession is regulated by the Health Ministry & the Higher Education and Research Ministry.

The exercise is defined and protected by the R4332 Article of the code of public health.

Public Health Code, Art L4332-1 to L4332-7 ; Art. R4332-1

Education
in France

Initial education

In France, obtaining the state diploma of Psychomotor therapist requires completing a full-time three-year degree at one of the following institutes, recognized by the French State.

N.B. Some institutes offer a work-study program.

Diplôme d’Etat (DE) de Psychomotricien

180 ECTS

French

Alençon – IFRES de Normandie

Besançon – IIFMR

Bordeaux – IFP, Université Segalen

Brest – IFPS, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire

Hyères – IFPVPS

Lille – IFP Raymond-Leclercq

Lyon – ISTP, Université Claude Bernard

Marseille – ISRP

Metz – ISRP

Meulan-les Mureaux – IFP, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire

Montpellier – IFP, Faculté de Médecine

Mulhouse – IFPM, GHR Mulhouse Sud-Alsace

Nevers – IPMR

Orléans – IFP

Paris – IFP, Université de la Sorbonne

Paris – ISRP

La Réunion – EMAP

Rouen – IFP

Toulouse – IFP, Faculté de Médecine

Vichy – ISRP

Postgraduate education

In France, the Higher Institute of Psychomotor Rehabilitation (ISRP) collaborates closely with University of Murcia in Spain and Research Center for Psychology and Psychomotricity (CISERPP) in Italy, in order to offer a postgraduate degree in Psychomotricity.

Máster Psicomotricidad en Internacional (MIP)

120 ECTS

French, Spanish, Italian

Paris – Institut Supérieur de Rééducation Psychomotrice (ISRP)

Working
in France

Get your diploma recognition

To exercise the regulated profession of Psychomotor therapist in France, you must hold the State diploma or obtain authorization from the Regional Directorate for Economic Affairs, Employment, Labor, and Solidarity (DREETS), which evaluates the equivalence of your diploma.

Your request must be submitted to the DREETS in the French region where you wish to work.

Get to know the professional association

Fédération Française des Psychomotriciens (FFP) is the representative body of the psychomotrician profession in France.

The FFP represents the Psychomotor Therapists in all different National instances, such as the High Council of Paramedics Professions by Health Minister, National Council for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Early Childhood Committee, etc.

Psychomotricity
in France

Originally based on the work of Julian de Ajuriaguerra and Giselle Soubiran in the 1950s and 1960s, the profession of psychomotor therapist gradually took shape and became a structured and recognized health profession applied in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age with educational, preventive, rehabilitative, and therapeutic applications.

Turning points

1960's

First official education

1962 – A psychomotor rehabilitation education is created within the Faculty of Medicine of Paris – Henri Rousselle Hospitals and La Salpêtrière.

1964 – The National Union of Psychomotor Rehabilitation Therapists (S.N.R.P.) was established, with its primary focus on the recognition of a diploma.

1967 – Gisèle B. Soubiran creates a private training institute (ISRP) in Paris.

1974

Creation of the State-Diploma

As a result of the FFP actions, the decree No. 74-112 establishing the State Diploma of Psychorehabilitation therapist (Psychorééducateur) is promulgated on February 15, 1974. The diploma is issued under the authority of the Ministry of Public Health

1988 – Publication of the Skills Decree in 1988.

1995 – Attainment of the status of Auxiliary to Medicine.

1996

European Forum of Psychomotricity

The European Forum of Psychomotricity (EFP) is created,
with France as a founding member, represented by Philippe Choupin.

FAQ

Here are few answers to frequently asked questions
in order to understand better Psychomotricity in France.

Do I need some special authorisation to practise in France?

In France, psychomotor care is provided on medical prescription and must be carried out exclusively by a state-certified psychomotor therapist, a healthcare professional.

In which fields can I work as a psychomotor therapist in France?

The psychomotor therapist conducts individual or group activities in psychomotor education, prevention, health education, rehabilitation/re-adaptation of psychomotor functions and related human functions, as well as psychocorporal therapy.

They work in hospitals, medico-social institutions, daycare centers, private practice, and companies.

You will find some demographic information on the FFP website.

Is psychomotor therapy financially covered in France?

In France, if you receive psychomotor therapy from a psychomotor therapist in any public or private hospital, or in a medico-social or social institution, the treatment costs are covered by the national French health care insurance system, known as Sécurité Sociale.

However, if you seek psychomotor therapy through a completely private consultation, you may have to pay the full cost out-of-pocket.

This applies only if the professional is not affiliated with a health network or care pathway (such as Plateforme de Coordination et d’Orientation PCO, réseau de soin, etc.), does not participate in special payment systems (like ôle de compétences et de prestations externalisées PCPE), or is not connected with the Departmental House for Disabled Persons (MDPH).

In cases of recognized disability, the allowance determined by the Departmental House for Disabled Persons (MDPH) will take into account the cost of psychomotor care incurred.

Is psychomotor therapy subject to a medical prescription in France?

In France, as a paramedics profession, the psychomotor therapist provides care based on medical prescription.

France