French parents sound alarm over mounting abuse cases by school staff

Reports of abuse involving young children in Paris nursery schools have been mounting for months, with a growing number of parents coming forward. In 2026 alone, 78 youth workers in Paris were suspended, including 31 on suspicion of sexual abuse

Many of the alleged incidents occurred during lunch breaks and after-school care, when children are supervised by non-teaching staff, according to an investigation by France 24.

In April 2026, dozens of parents gathered outside Paris City Hall to demand action. Alarmed by reports of physical and sexual abuse, they called on authorities to respond more decisively.

"What we'd like is to restore trust as soon as possible so we can all get back to normal," one concerned mother said, explaining she had withdrawn her children from after-school care.

Another parent described troubling behavioural changes in her child:

"We couldn't understand why. He wasn't well. He was always saying, 'I hate them. I don't like it. I don't want to go to the after-school club,'" she said, adding that her earlier warnings had gone unheard.

Most testimonies point to physical and psychological abuse, often minimized by those responsible for supervising children. Whistleblowers argue the issue is systemic, citing weak recruitment practices, insufficient training, poor working conditions, and the lack of a clear national framework.

Response to avalanche of cases

In response to the scale of the allegations, the Paris city government has announced a €20 million action plan aimed at improving child protection in after-school care.

Measures include strengthening reporting mechanisms, enhancing staff training, and creating support groups for affected children. Authorities are also rolling out awareness initiatives focused on consent, with the aim of helping children better recognize and respond to abuse.

At the same time, advocacy groups say complaints have been pouring in. The association “Afterschool programmes in crisis,” launched a call for testimonies in 2021.

"We received over 80 testimonies in 10 days. That's when we realised it was systemic," one of the co-founders told the outlet.

Doubt in the victim's account

The article highlights that the trauma has been compounded by shortcomings in the justice system for many families. Children were often required to repeat their accounts multiple times due to a lack of appropriate procedures.

Experts say skepticism toward children’s testimony remains a persistent problem in France.

"These opinions go against the scientific data. Numerous studies show that in less than 1 percent of cases, the child is lying," said child psychiatrist Luis Alvarez.

While attention has focused heavily on Paris, the France 24 investigation reports that the issue extends nationwide. A culture of silence, denial, inadequate staff training, and flawed hiring practices is cited as key factors behind the crisis.

By Nazrin Sadigova