Crèches: the government seizes Igas after the tragedy in Lyon

Europe 1 with AFP 9 p.m., July 11, 2022

The Minister of Solidarity, Jean-Christophe Combe, announced on Monday that he had seized the general inspection of social affairs (Igas), after the death of an eleven-month-old girl last month in a crèche of the People & Baby group in Lyon.

This mission is responsible for providing "rapid clarification as to the factors which, in this crèche, in this network, or in the general framework of the reception methods, could have contributed to the installation of situations of danger or mistreatment" , says one to the ministry.

It must also propose "solutions to remedy this" and the minister "will quickly discuss regulatory changes likely to be implemented in the fall".

Respond to business urgency

The new minister made this announcement while meeting on Monday the members of the Early Childhood Sector Committee, set up last November, which brings together representatives of young childcare facilities (nursing assistants, home childcare, crèches... ) and the public actors concerned.

In addition to taking into account the emotion aroused by this tragedy in Lyon, it was a question of responding immediately to the concerns expressed by professionals about the shortage of staff in childcare facilities.

Two million euros released for early childhood

The extension of the exercise of early childhood professions in crèches to "new profiles" will be the subject of a decree which should be published by the end of July.

It should allow in particular the recognition of foreign diplomas, in particular European, indicates one in the entourage of the minister.

The Minister has released two million euros to finance a campaign to promote and promote early childhood professions.

He suggested several measures to improve the early childhood service: obligation to create a parents' council in all crèches, establishment of a system for reporting and national monitoring of incidents, periodic obligation of external evaluation on the basis of a national frame of reference including parental satisfaction, time limit on the duration of authorization for establishments.

According to a survey published Monday, conducted by Cnaf at the request of the Committee, and covering some 16,000 crèches, 48.6% of them declare a lack of staff with children.

8,908 full-time equivalents, ie between 6.5% and 8.6% of the workforce, are declared permanently vacant.