Babies who “vomit from crying”, “deprived of water” or change… These appalling abuses in nurseries

[Mise à jour du 11 avril à 15h24]. Deprived of food, water (to avoid changing the diaper), sleep, sometimes humiliated, crying in a corner… Babies in crèches are, in some cases, victims of abuse, according to the report of the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) published this Tuesday, April 11. This report on the quality of reception and the prevention of abuse in crèches was expected since it had been claimed by the government following the tragic death of a baby which occurred in a nursery in Lyon on June 22, 2022 and after several other reports. After 8 months of work and interviews with 36 public and private establishments in France, Igas lists certain establishments of quality “very degraded”, training that varies according to the establishments, a shortage of early childhood professionals. He also finds that the rhythm of the children is not always respected (meals, sound level, crying, etc.) and denounces the current state of crèche control systems.

What are the cases of abuse denounced in nurseries?

This report is also based on testimonials from parents and early childhood professionals who denounce a lack of consideration of the needs of the child: lack of response to crying, assembly line work and lack of personnel, non-respect of the child’s rhythm, lack of care given to children, humiliations, punishments and demeaning words, and even cases of forced food or physical violence. The adults interviewed recounted these situations of abuse:

“Do not give to drink so that we change diapers less”.

• “Having to choose who will sleep in a bed because there are not enough beds for everyone at nap time”,
• “Professionals who do not change children’s diapers”, children forgotten on the toilet”
• “A few months ago a baby vomited crying because no one was available to answer his cries”,
• “Children who take refuge in sleep, who cry for a long time because they are hungry and fall asleep exhausted”
• “Children left crying until they fell asleep from exhaustion”
• “Put children over 2 years old in high chairs so that they do not move”
• “They were made to stay in their beds after they had been up for a long time and sometimes they were left to cry with their soiled nappies”
• “Water deprivation”; “absence of exchange”; “lack of diapers, lack of gloves”; “intentionally order less meals to save money”; “
• “Leaving a child with a soiled diaper because it’s not time for changes”
• “Diapers changed only twice a day, once before naptime and once before the parents arrive”; “diapers not changed for more than 5 hours”;
• “Don’t give drinks so you change diapers less”
• “Colleagues giving derogatory nicknames to certain children: the fat, the frumpy, the dirty”;
• “Making guilt, humiliating or scolding in the event of a cleanliness accident”; “humiliating children who have had an accident during toilet training.
• “We isolate a 6-month-old baby by telling him he’s going to cry for something”
• “Forcing a child to drink or even eat by pinching his nose”; “the headmistress forced her to eat until she vomited, I saw the headmistress give her back her vomit”
• “A glass of water thrown in the face of a child…

39 recommendations to improve the reception of babies in the crèche

Also, to better meet the needs of the child, the Igas offers 39 recommendations for the early childhood sector. It recommends in particular to guarantee an effective and reassuring presence with children, to improve the interior and exterior layout of the premises, to strengthen the quality of reception as well as the training of early childhood professionals, to better control and alert… Measures should be announced during the spring as part of the “public service for early childhood”.

Charlotte Caubel, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister, in charge of Children, reacted in a tweet following the Igas report, assuring that she would be “vigilant in the implementation of the recommendations and controls”.