TESTIMONIALS. Minimum meal orders, overbooking… Two employees testify about the low-cost methods of a private nursery in Aix-en-Provence

The low-cost model has become widespread in private daycare centers, according to the investigative book by journalist Victor Castanet, which is published on Wednesday. At the cost of the children’s well-being, as two employees of the group Les petits chaperons rouges, whom franceinfo met, recount.

Rationed meals and overbooked cribs. The low-cost model has become established in daycare centers entrusted by town halls to private groups. This is what Victor Castanet’s new investigative book reveals, The Ogres (Flammarion), which will be released on Wednesday, September 18.

Two years after the Orpéa scandal, the journalist is this time dedicating a book to the business surrounding the youngest. He cites in particular the case of a crèche in Aix-en-Provence, managed by one of the giants of early childhood, Les petits chaperons rouges. This group obtained the management of the 20 establishments in the city. Two employees that franceinfo was able to meet denounce low-cost methods.

This childcare assistant, who prefers to remain anonymous, noticed these methods as soon as she arrived at one of the Les Petits Chaperons Rouges daycare centers in Aix-en-Provence, as a public service delegation. Starting with the meals distributed to the children. “The directors were instructed to order meals as little as possible, meaning that when we have 15 adults, we will order 14 or even 13 meals each time.”

The principle for making savings is to order less, to anticipate absences, explains this early childhood educator, who works in another Aix nursery of the same group. “There aren’t always absentees, so I had to cut the protein portions,” she says. Portions of protein cut in half and children coming home hungry, the childcare worker says: “Parents regularly said to us: ‘Didn’t he eat yesterday? At home, he stands in front of the fridge and cries to eat’.”

When contacted, the group denies this. The employees say that while portions are still sometimes lacking, the situation has improved since parents filed a complaint last year against a Les petits chaperons rouges daycare center in Vitrolles, the neighboring town. But there is other evidence of low-cost according to them, such as the overbooking strategy. “We have instructions to call families to overbook. For example, we have a section that welcomes ten children, we will have 12 registered. When there is an absence, we call the two registered in overbooking”, details the first auxiliary. “These are children who come one at a time. Where is the child’s well-being?” the second one chokes.

“It’s scandalous to put contracts like this in early childhood. We’re not talking about places on a plane.”

An employee of a nursery Little Red Riding Hoods

to franceinfo

Here again, the group Les petits chaperons rouges refutes any overbooking strategy, and speaks “occasional reception”, “legal” And “control”. This low-cost strategy, which the group Les petits chaperons rouges contests, weighs on employee morale. Those that franceinfo met recounted the cascading resignations of colleagues and the burnout of directors. Two are currently on sick leave out of the 20 daycare centers in Aix, specifies the group Les petits chaperons rouges.

The staff is at their wit’s end, says this childcare assistant: “They leave or they don’t last! Because they are paid as we are paid for the work we are asked to provide… Plus it is not quality work. I am thinking about retraining until I retire. I knew the nursery 30 years ago and the nursery today; it is not possible.“

“We are reduced to doing babysitting, without having the means to do education”she said. Her colleague, an educator in another nursery in the same group, is angry with this policy which has allowed town halls to entrust their nurseries to private companies: “They opened Pandora’s box by allowing private companies to enter this market. It became a market. It was a godsend for private entrepreneurs: the opportunity to develop a subsidized activity.”

For its part, Les petits chaperons rouges indicates that 90% of its public service delegations are renewed, proof of the satisfaction of the communities. It has been 15 years now since the Aix-en-Provence city hall handed over the keys to its 20 municipal daycare centers to Les Petits chaperons rouges. The city hall has not responded to our requests.