4,400 micro-crèches open from Monday

Faced with the coronavirus epidemic, the government triggered stage 3 in France this Saturday March 14. Nurseries and educational establishments as well as "non-essential places" such as restaurants, cafes, cinemas, nightclubs and shops are now closed. Only food stores and markets, pharmacies, petrol stations, banks, tobacco and press offices will remain open.

For parents who do not have a solution to care for their children, 4,400 were allowed to stay open. In a press release, the Federation of crèche companies (FFC) ensures that these establishments "will welcome the children usually registered". Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health, specifies that the micro-crèches can accommodate a maximum of 10 children. Childminders are also allowed to continue their activity and can accommodate a maximum of six children. The minister says that "the structures which take in a much smaller number of children do not present the same risks".

Elsa Hervy, the FFC's general delegate, explains that this represents "44,000 places on the 450,000 places of crèches existing in France". "The difficulty we will face on Monday is that the staff also have children to look after.", she admits. Classic cribs have "the possibility of also accommodating, in separate living areas, groups of up to 10 children".

Elsa Hervy warns parents who must plan to prepare meals of their children because the canteen providers will not work.

Some early childhood professionals prefer to keep their micro-cribs closed. Marc Oswald, who holds several in Strasbourg, has judged the government's decision "irresponsible" in view of the current health crisis. As for conventional crèches, they are gradually being requisitioned to accommodate the children of health professionals.

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Video by Clemence chevallet

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