Based on a large scientific consensus, the government has made a radical decision to protect children. Snators, nannies and maternal assistants will have to adapt.
The places of reception of the young child, whether they are crèches or homes of maternal assistants, are essential for the good development of babies. These spaces of socialization and awakening are at the heart of particular attention on the part of public authorities and health experts. In this context, the government has formalized a regulatory measure of importance which modifies the daily life of these structures. This decision aims to sanctuarize the reception time to devote it entirely to human interactions and fun activities, by removing an omnipresent element of our daily life, deemed harmful for children under three.
Until now, a simple recommendation, this rule has become a legal obligation from July 3, 2025, since its publication in the Official Journal. It will also be integrated into the national charter for the reception of the young child, a document which serves as a frame of reference to all professionals in the sector. This measure concerns the formal and generalized prohibition of screens in the presence of children. Thus, televisions, tablets, smartphones and other digital devices should no longer be used in front of the young.
This decision is based on an increasingly assertive scientific consensus as to the deleterious effects of early exposure to screens. Indeed, many studies point to the risks of delays in the acquisition of language, attention and sleep disorders, as well as an increased trend for sedentary lifestyle. Passive exhibition to digital content, even presented as educational, cannot replace direct interactions, free game and sensory exploration, which are the real engines of learning in children under three years of age.
In practice, this new regulation comes to formalize uses already well anchored in a majority of professionals concerned with the well-being of children who never use a screen with the children guarded. The prohibition specifically targets the exposure of the child, and not the digital tool in itself, which the staff will be able to continue to use for administrative needs or emergencies, but imperatively outside the presence of toddlers. But beyond the reception structures, this measure sends a strong signal to families on the importance of mastering the use of screens at home.
