Rising needs and shrinking funds

Associations in Occitanie are reporting a growing gap between the increasing social needs of the population and the insufficient funding they receive. According to the Uriopss, this situation has led to long waiting periods for children with disabilities and challenges in recruiting staff. These organizations are struggling financially as inflation raises costs, but funding has not kept pace. They organized a week of actions from October 12 to 17 to highlight their concerns, asking, "What if we really stopped?"

Long waiting times for children

The consequences of the funding gap are visible in specific services. More than a hundred children in the region are on waiting lists for places in medical and educational institutes (IME) or for special education and home care services. Waiting times can reach three to five years, which the director of Uriopss Occitanie calls a "huge loss of opportunity" for children. During this time, their physical and psychological conditions may worsen, and families often have to provide support, risking social and professional isolation.

Challenges for professionals

The difficulties also affect the professionals working in these associations. At least two child protection structures had to lay off staff last year due to insufficient funding for specialized prevention. At the same time, associations face challenges in recruiting and retaining workers. Salary grids in some collective agreements have not kept up with the minimum wage increase, reducing the wage gap between experienced employees and new hires.

New financial burdens

Associations are also facing new financial burdens, particularly related to the apprenticeship tax. The loss of a reduction in charges on low wages in 2026 added more than 350 million euros in costs for the association. A national statement from mobilized associations highlights the severity of the situation: in 2025, half of employer associations reported losing funding, and nearly a quarter of medico-social institutions had less than 45 days of liquidity, with 10% having less than six days.

Symbolic actions to highlight the crisis

The "What if we really stopped?" mobilization was expressed through symbolic actions in Toulouse, Montpellier, and Mende on October 16. In Toulouse, participants lay down under survival blankets at Matabiau station to represent the potential halt of support services. In Mende, the ALOES association calculated the impact of stopping its activities, including the loss of 311 people supported toward employment each year. The director of Uriopss Occitanie explained that the week aimed to highlight how the continued efforts of associations make the effects of their funding shortages less visible. Further actions may follow, though no specific timeline has been set, with the main focus on national-level budget decisions.