France’s Schools Under Siege: Parents Seek Safer Childcare
School had traditionally been viewed as a sanctuary for Delphine. The French mother of two recalls having “full confidence” when she first deposited her five‑year‑old son at preschool.
Until she uncovered that several of his after‑school instructors faced accusations of abuse—both physical and sexual.
“School is supposed to be a safe place,” Delphine says, using a pseudonym because she worries about potential backlash from staff at her son’s school.
Why We Wrote This
After reports of a series of abuses in after‑school programs in Paris, parents across France have been reassessing how they protect their children—and whose expertise they may trust.
In May, the Paris public prosecutor’s office announced that dozens of preschools, elementary schools, and daycares are under investigation on suspicion of violence against children. Since the beginning of 2026, Paris City Hall has suspended 132 of its 14,000 after‑school teachers—the nearly half of those involved in suspected sexual assault—compared with 46 for the previous year.
The crisis within Paris public schools is only one of several recent high‑profile cases involving violence against minors in France over the past six months that have shaken parental confidence, including the killing of an 11‑year‑old girl in May.
In a nation that prides itself on affordable and accessible after‑school care for working parents—a system so ingrained in work‑life culture that 89 % of children utilize périscolaire in some form—parents have taken to the streets in protest. This summer alone, Paris City Hall recorded a 13 % drop in camp sign‑ups.
As the new school year approaches, many parents are pressuring the state and local schools to protect the estimated 5 million children who rely on this care or holiday breaks. The allegations have ignited a broader societal debate about stopping violence against minors and repairing trust in the public services families depend on.
“It’s good to discuss topics openly, to make the issue of [violence against children] more visible,” says Michel Delage, a psychiatrist and family therapist based in Toulon, France. “But it must lead to concrete change in how systems operate. Parents are losing faith in the establishment.”
Thinking twice about children’s safety
The reported numbers of child maltality cases have risen steadily since 2016—by roughly 7 % per year from 2016 to 2023—according to the Interior Ministry. When combined with headlines about 11‑year‑old Lyhanna, who the prosecution says was sexually assaulted and killed by her friend’s father after school, these figures reinforce parental perception that children are not safe.
“Our society is in the midst of a crisis, and it feels unbearable,” says Philippe Fabry, an independent social worker in the Paris region. “It starts to seem that no one fully respects children’s rights.”
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Emmanuel Gregoire (left), then‑candidate for Paris mayor, and French civil servant and economist Lucie Castets spoke at a press conference in Paris, Feb. 26 2026.
The public has drawn much scrutiny toward the French justice system, which has been criticized for slow processing times and inefficiency. Earlier that spring, parents were urging the ouster of the justice minister.
Parents also fault a structure that enables finger‑pointing. In France, after‑school programming is administered by city councils, separate from the national education system where teachers are recruited after lengthy studies. Within hours, after‑school instructors can be hired.
At certain schools—such as the one attended by Delphine’s son—teachers have been counseled to distance themselves from périscolaire staff. That approach, Dr. Delage describes as “very French,” “each French institution is divided and separated by what it does specifically,” and emphasizes minimal cross‑communication between bodies.
Parents argue this deflection prevents solutions. “Everyone says, ‘It’s not my fault; it’s theirs,’” says Anne, mother of a four‑year‑old child in the Paris suburbs. “We’re discussing the future of our children.”
Anne later saw a viral video showing appropriate versus inappropriate touch. Prior to that incident, she rarely invited friends over and has even abandoned sleepovers. Consequently, she now worries her daughter might fear life beyond school.”,
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