Private daycare scandal: following Victor Castanet's investigation, the Senate will launch a fact-finding mission

Following the hearing of Victor Castanet, author of the ;#39;investigation "The Ogres", the Senate will launch a "flash mission" on the control tools of the early childhood sector.

The Senate is preparing to launch a fact-finding mission on “monitoring tools” in the early childhood sector, announced the chairman of the Social Affairs Committee Philippe Mouiller on Wednesday, in response to the publication of an investigative book highlighting the dysfunctions of private daycare centers.

A possible evolution towards the inquiry commission

After hearing investigative journalist Victor Castanet, author of the investigation “Les Ogres” (ed. Flammarion) which reveals abuses in the sector, Mr. Mouiller confirmed the launch of a “flash mission”, starting Wednesday, October 9, with the aim of submitting a report “before the end of the year”.

Read also: Full diapers, children force-fed, left in bed all day: in the hell of large private daycare groups

“The first difficulty is that the control tools are often not adapted either in their dimensioning or by the complexity of the assemblies", explained the LR senator, promising to "propose an evolution" in this area, "a basis for a more global reflection on questions of pricing and support".

If necessary, the fact-finding mission could be transformed into a commission of inquiry, with broader powers of control, he specified.

"Deafening silence" from the public authorities

But he indicated that it would be "not within the remit" of this mission to investigate the supposed existence of links between the former Minister of Families Aurore Bergé and the lobby of private daycare centers, which are said to have concluded an agreement. Ms. Bergé indicated that she had filed a complaint for defamation against Victor Castanet on this matter.

In “Les Ogres”, the journalist describes the “voracity” of certain groups, in particular People and Baby, which allegedly falsified the number of hours babies were present in order to receive money from the family allowance fund. And points out "the inaction" of the public authorities on the sector.

Before the senators on Wednesday, Victor Castanet also reported the astonishment of professionals in the sector and families faced with the "deafening silence" of the public authorities. "The current minister (and senator for Seine-Maritime), Agnès Canayer, appointed ten days ago, has not made a public statement on the subject", he regretted.