According to a study by the National Association of Childcare Workers, a large proportion of children in daycare centers are not up to date with their vaccinations.
This represents “25.3% of children”, according to this survey.
Children not up to date with their vaccinations in daycare centers? This situation is far from exceptional, according to a survey published this Monday, June 3 by the National Association of Graduate Childcare Workers and Students (ANPDE). According to this association, more than one in four children in a nursery in France experience a vaccination delay.
To reach this conclusion, the ANPDE studied, last February and March, the health records of more than 6,700 children born between 2021 and 2024 and distributed in 575 reception structures on French territory. And the results are clear: 25.3% of children have a vaccination delay. However, eleven vaccines are mandatory for infants born after January 1, 2018.
Overwhelmed childcare nurses?
If these figures are “worrisome”according to the words of the ANPDE in a press release, they above all highlight “the need to strengthen allocated resources” to childcare nurses “to improve vaccination coverage of children in daycare”, estimates the association. Because as part of this study, the ANPDE first wanted to analyze the data of more than 12,000 children, and had to fall back on half of them “due to lack of time allocated to the missions of the Inclusive Home Health Representatives” (RSAI), positions generally occupied by childcare nurses.
“The missions of the RSAI are multiple” and mostly prioritized “on urgent issues”recalls the association. “However, within the framework of these missions, there is in particular that of ensuring good vaccination coverage of children welcomed in crèches in the collective interest, as well as carrying out health prevention actions. Consequently, the time allocated does not does not always allow them to ensure rigorous monitoring of the vaccination schedule.”
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Therefore, the ANPDE “calls for collective reflection to ensure that every child benefits from the vaccinations essential to their protection and that of the community” and now expects “quick responses” to answer “to the needs of the field”.
