“The problem is national,” assures Ghetty Poisson, municipal councilor responsible for early childhood, to explain the lack of staff in the structures of Dreux (Eure-et-Loir). “The profession is little valued,” she regrets. The sick leave and career changes of several future agents have taken a toll on the organization, already weakened by a sector that attracts little. To limit the damage, the municipality chose to close, on April 5, the “Mille Pattes” daycare center which accommodates around fifty children.
“It’s a daycare and not a crèche. The children are left there for one or two hours or even half a day,” specifies the elected official to explain this collateral damage. The municipality has chosen to prioritize “crèche” structures so as not to upset the Drouais who go to work for the day. However, closing “Mille Pattes” was a “difficult decision to make”, underlines Ghetty Poisson, who is actively seeking to fill vacant positions.
Two positions to allow reopening
“I recognize that there was a mix-up at the beginning. Families had not been informed. But everything is back to normal,” reassures Ghetty Poisson. Indeed, some parents were surprised to find closed doors, leaving room for rumors. " No ! This closure is not motivated by budgetary problems or considerations linked to energy costs,” reacts the municipal councilor.
The municipality plans to recruit two people to fill vacant positions, including that of establishment director. However, the recruitment process requires time to ensure the quality of new hires. Two auditioned candidates seem to do the trick, but Ghetty Poisson remains cautious. The temporary closure of the “Mille Pattes” daycare center has been announced for several months. However, the town of Dreux hopes to be able to recruit the missing staff by the summer.