‘Baby Dou’ nursery: the local authority responds
In our Friday edition, we reported on the concerns of parents and staff following the decision by the ‘Sem ta Route’ association not to reopen the Baby Dou nursery in September due to financial difficulties. A letter had been sent to President Mussington on Wednesday 29 July. The very next day, the Collectivité reaffirmed its support for the association and announced the award of a grant.
In a press release, the Collectivité stated that it had earmarked a grant of €183,000 for the year 2026, which would represent 38 per cent of the nursery’s projected operating costs, estimated at €483,458. Furthermore, as requested, this support will be covered by a multi-year agreement designed to guarantee funding for the Sem Ta Route association over the next three years, in the same way as for other early-years childcare facilities supported by the Collectivité. However, all this remains subject to the approval of the Executive Council, whose next meeting, originally scheduled for 30 July, has been postponed to 6 August.
Furthermore, as we had indicated, the budget is supplemented by contributions from families and the CAF. According to the Local Authority, this would amount to €222,740 from the CAF and €26,277 from parents, representing 46 per cent of expenditure. However, the CAF generally covers 66 per cent of the costs.
In their letter, parents using this nursery referred to the 2025 grant, which has apparently still not been paid. The Collectivité did not elaborate on this point in its press release.
Nevertheless, it reaffirms “its commitment to preserving childcare places, supporting families and ensuring the continuity of its support”, but also states that it “cannot, however, bear the consequences of any structural or financial difficulties faced by this nursery on its own”.
“Given the scale of the public funding provided, it questions the announcement of a closure as early as September and wishes to receive a comprehensive and transparent overview of the centre’s financial situation,” the press release states. Indeed, Michel Petit, the 4th Vice-President responsible for Solidarity Policy, has requested details on the use of the funding already secured, the trend in operating costs, and the measures envisaged by the Semsamar Foundation’s governing body to support a facility with which it has historically been closely linked… The ball is therefore also in Semsamar’s court.
