As the start of the new school year for young children approaches, the Fraud Enforcement (DGCCRF) invites parents to report problems encountered with a professional in the “micro-childcare” sector, for example, false promises about child care arrangements or prices.
The General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) asks parents, in a press release published this Thursday, to report these problems on the “SignalConso” platform, which it has enabled so that consumers can raise a problem to a professional.
The service of the Ministry of Economy, responsible in particular for consumer protection, carried out in 2021 “for the first time” a survey of the “micro-nurseries” sector, that is, those that welcome less than ten children, controlling 362 nursery groups in 58 French departments. Objective: “Check the correct pre-contractual information of the parents”, the absence of abusive clauses in childcare contracts or deceptive commercial practices.
“misleading claims”
Among the illegal clauses identified, the DGCCRF pointed out those that “generate a significant disadvantage to the detriment of the families”, contemplating, for example, modifications in the reception modalities decided solely by the professional, or even sanctions in case of delay or rejection. payment “of a disproportionate amount”.
The DGCCRF also pointed out “misleading allegations”, that is, false promises, for example about “fictitious qualifications of staff members”, about activities “offered to children”, or about “the use of qualifiers to reward food”, like “organic” or homemade for example, “when it wasn’t like that”.
As it is a first investigation, the Bercy services preferred to force the professionals to comply, instead of sanctioning them. “In most cases”, compliance was “voluntary and prompt”, the DGCCRF points out in its press release.
More generally, the crèche sector is receiving particular attention from the authorities because it suffers from severe staff shortages. A recent ministerial decree, applicable on August 31, has made the hiring of unqualified employees more flexible, who will have to train internally, “on an exceptional basis”.
The exceptions will be applicable in a “local context of scarcity”. The employer, if he can prove that he has been looking in vain for a qualified employee for at least three weeks, can hire an unqualified candidate: he will only have to take into account his experience, “particularly with children”, or even any simply his “motivation”.
Source: BFM TV
