“It can be dangerous”: the early childhood sector is up against a decree

Mélina Facchin with AFP, edited by Laura Laplaud 1:26 p.m., October 06, 2022

The collective "Pas de bébés à la consigne" calls on early childhood professionals to go on strike on Thursday to denounce the shortage of qualified professionals and the recent decree authorizing the recruitment of non-graduates.

Rallies and demonstrations are planned in around sixty cities in France, according to the collective, which brings together around fifty trade unions and associations representing the world of early childhood.

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"We don't do anything with children"

In Paris, a demonstration left at 10 a.m. from the Place des Droits de l'Enfant to head towards the Ministry of Solidarity, avenue Duquesne.

"With the reform that passed through the decree, anyone can come and work in a crèche after 120 hours of training carried out by us professionals. In addition to taking care of children, we will have to train professionals, future professionals", launches Sylvie, childcare assistant for 10 years, present in the event.

"It can harm the child, it can be dangerous. After these 120 hours, they can be left alone with the children, which is not normal. They are not our children, we do not do n Anything with the kids," she exclaims.

Salary increase and withdrawal of decree required

“We demand immediate measures against the shortage of professionals”, including “wage increases” and “the immediate and massive increase in places in training centers for early childhood professions”, writes the collective in a press release.

It also demands the withdrawal of a decree published in the summer making it easier to recruit unqualified employees and train them internally to deal with the shortage of staff in nurseries.

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This text "it's the straw that breaks the camel's back", comments Julie Marty Pichon, representative of the collective "No babies at the deposit".

"He says that our jobs are worth nothing, that there is no need for skills," she adds, denouncing the "contempt" of the government.

The collective also puts forward around twenty proposals to improve reception conditions in crèches, which concern a crucial age for the development and awakening of children.

For example, he proposes to guarantee the presence of a professional to supervise five children, instead of the current eight if the children are walkers.

The number of places offered has increased over the last decade

In France, the number of places offered by childcare establishments has increased over the last decade to reach 471,000 in 2019, most of them managed by municipalities.

But almost half (48.6%) of the establishments declare a lack of staff, according to a survey carried out by the national family allowance fund and published in July.