Paris steps up training for childcare staff on sexual abuse, as reports increase

Faced with an increase in reports of sexual abuse in after-school programmes, Paris authorities are stepping up training for staff to help children speak out. They had come under fire in recent months, accused of doing too little, too late on the issue.


Issued on: 29/01/2026 - RFI

Reports of sexual abuse of children in after-school programmes are increasing. LOIC VENANCE / AFP
"Now, more than ever, every child must be listened to, believed and protected. This abuse must not only be reported, but also made public," Patrick Bloche, deputy mayor of Paris, announced on Wednesday, during a progress report two months after Paris City Hall launched a plan to combat sexual abuse of children.

In 2025, around 40 youth workers were suspended in Paris, including 20 on suspicion of sexual offences, against a backdrop of reports from distraught parents.

Beginning in January, the directors of extracurricular activities at some 620 Parisian schools have been required to undergo training designed to give them a better understanding of the mechanisms of sexual abuse.
Sébastien Brochot, a prevention specialist at the Resource Centre for Professionals Working with Sexual Offenders (CRIAVS) told French news agency AFP: "This violence exists everywhere, regardless of country, social background or level of education."

He added: "The challenge is to raise awareness among youth workers so that they can better identify, report and manage all situations in which a child may be a victim of violence."

Common misconceptions

The training also aims to dispel common misconceptions, including the idea that there is a minimum age for victims, the perception of differing impact on girls and boys before puberty, and the idea that women are not among the perpetrators.

It also addresses the fact that half of all assaults are committed between minors.

"This helps to put things into perspective," says Stéphane, who has been an after-school programme manager for 25 years. Since September, he has made three reports of suspected domestic violence.

According to the Commission on Sexual Violence Against Children (Ciivise), one in 10 children is a victim of sexual abuse, most often within the family.

In a bid to address this, the training will also emphasise identifying profiles that are overrepresented among perpetrators – such as those who are vulnerable, depressed or suffering from low self-esteem.

According to Brochot, when a child who is a victim of sexual abuse asks an adult for help, the adult does nothing "in half of all cases".

The majority of children also find it difficult to realise that they have been victims.

"Children rarely clearly verbalise what they are going through. Instead, they alert adults through their behaviour," he said. Sudden changes in attitude, weight gain or loss and bed-wetting are all warning signs.

For Sophie Fady-Cayrel, director of the Department of School Affairs (Dasco): "The priority is to put the child's interests before all other considerations."

This is particularly true when a child's words incriminate a staff member who has been at the school for a long time.

Staff are also encouraged not to "paraphrase a child's words" and even to "bypass" their superiors if they think "they won't do the job".

Politically motivated

In addition to training, the action plan also includes setting up a helpline for parents, the recruitment of activity leaders in pairs and mandatory two-day training for temporary staff before they take up their posts.

Despite the announcement, unions remain critical.

"These measures are largely insufficient and extremely late," says Nicolas Léger of the Paris administrative staff union SUPAP-FSU, who points to "a lot of communication to reassure families without additional human resources".

He also criticised the fact that training is only being provided to extracurricular activity directors, who are then responsible for "passing it on to the 12,000 activity leaders based on what they have retained".

Élisabeth Guthmann, co-founder of the SOS périscolaire collective against violence against children in after-school programmes, which provides support for parents and activity leaders, believe the move is politically motivated.

"For four years, Mr Bloche has been saying that violence is isolated, whereas we consider it to be systemic. Things are moving forward, but in the context of an election campaign."

(with AFP)