Baby Dou: getting parents involved

The Sem’ Ta Route association cites a financial situation that has become too precarious and a lack of the funds essential to the organisation’s operation, without, however, specifying the cause. It states that it has spent several months seeking solutions, approaching its partners and attempting to secure the necessary funding. 
Following this announcement, parents wrote to the President of the Collectivité, Louis Mussington, with copies sent to the Prefecture, Senator Annick Pétrus, the CAF, the PMI and the Labour Inspectorate. In their letter, the families state that, according to the information provided to them, the closure is primarily linked to the Collectivité’s failure to pay the subsidies expected for 2025. They mention unpaid wages, a shortage of staff and several closures in July. 
At the start of the new school year, the crèche was due to care for 24 children and babies. With just one month to go before the new term begins, around twenty families now find themselves without childcare arrangements, with all the consequences this entails for their family and work lives.
The situation is even more worrying for the seven staff members at the centre, who have not been paid for two months and are now out of work as of today. Faced with significant financial and personal difficulties, some are currently on sick leave. The nursery, which was due to close for the holidays this Friday, was already unable to accommodate the children and finally ceased operations on the evening of 30 July.

The issue of early years care arises

The running of nurseries relies largely on public funding, in particular the Single Service Payment (PSU) paid by the CAF. Parents’ contributions, calculated on the basis of their income and family circumstances, generally remain limited. Under this scheme, contributions from families and the CAF together cover 66 per cent of the cost of childcare, subject to statutory ceilings. This funding contributes towards the centre’s various operating costs, such as salaries, meals, nappies and hygiene products. It is generally local authorities, regions or local government bodies that cover the remaining 34 per cent, in accordance with established agreements. A meeting with the Solidarity, Health and Family Delegation (a department that has been closed since 2 July, as staff are on strike) had been organised in May, specifically to discuss a possible three-year agreement. 

The signatories are seeking clarification on the cause of the financial difficulties, on any delays or non-payment of grants, on the planned timetable for resolving the situation, and on the urgent organisation of a meeting between the local authority, the State and the relevant partners. 
A public petition entitled ‘Save Baby Dou’ is also being shared on social media. Parents wish to highlight the consequences of this closure for both staff and families, in a region where there are already insufficient nursery places available. 
On Thursday afternoon, in a press release, the Collectivité stated that it would be putting a grant of €183,000 for 2026 to the vote at the Executive Council meeting on 6 August, and that this support would be covered by a multi-year agreement. However, it did not provide any details regarding the amounts due. More information in our Tuesday edition.