Early childhood public service: Professionals lament government ‘lack of ambition’

During a trip to Angers (Maine-et-Loire) Elizabeth Bourne opened, Thursday 1^Eh June, the future outlines the “early childhood of the public service”, Emmanuel Macron’s campaign promise. The Prime Minister spoke within the framework of the consultations conducted for several months under the leadership of the Ministry of Solidarity, which took place during the restoration of the work of the National Council for the Restoration of Early Childhood.

Although the rate of coverage of care for children under 3 is 60%, according to the Family Benefit Fund – a national indicator that masks strong territorial disparities, the head of government primarily addressed parents of young children. who “The search for a mode of reception too often turns into an obstacle”. A prism regretted by professionals who hoped for a stronger appeal to them in the context of the loss of attractiveness of early childhood professions.

Today there are 1.3 million individual and collective admission places; 770,000 with kindergarten assistants, 458,000 in kindergartens (60% public and 40% private), 89,000 in very small kindergarten units and 47,000 with childminders at home.

“Illusory” obligation

M^I Bourne is committed to creating 100,000 reception places by 2027 and 200,000 by 2030. For his re-election, Emmanuel Macron has already promised 200,000 new seats over five years. at will Representatives of the sector do not hide their skepticism and recall that 10,000 professionals have already been lost in the gardens, which, on the contrary, has pushed the structures to close their cradles in recent months. For the previous five-year term, the goal of 30,000 new places was set, and almost half were created in January 2022 with the approval of the President of the Republic.

Such is the obligation “illusory”Particularly responsive is Jules Marty-Pichon, a pas de bebe collective in the closet, who regrets more generally “lack of ambition” With these first measures of the government. The latter was especially expected to respond to the main issue of professional training, the shortage. In the interview at Western FranceThe Prime Minister simply indicated that it was “It is also planned to improve the training of early childhood professionals with the regions and update their professions”Without providing further details.