Paris child welfare under scrutiny after second mother alleges childrens' heads were shaved

After the case of an eight-year-old boy having his hair forcibly shaved as "punishment"in a Paris foster home shocked the country, a second mother has come forward to say her two sons, aged three and four, underwent a similar ordeal in a different Paris foster home.

Speaking to public broadcaster Franceinfo on Thursday, the woman said the boys had their heads completely shaved in July while living in a care home in Paris' 18th district. She said she plans to file a formal complaint in the coming weeks.

According to the mother, the incident occurred shortly after a juvenile court judge ordered the children's temporary placement in care, a decision that was reportedly taken to protect the boys during a difficult parental separation.

The mother claims that when she first visited the facility, she was shocked to discover that both children had no hair, adding that she felt "stripped" of her role as a parent.

According to the explanations given to her by the foster home director, the radical haircut was due to lice in the facility. However, the mother claims that she only authorised a simple haircut.

The OVE foundation, which runs the home in question, acknowledges that a haircut was indeed given.

OVE Director General Christian Berthuy explained to Franceinfo that this decision was taken "after discussions between professionals and with the mother's agreement," to make the treatment more effective and prevent the spread of head lice among the other children.

However, Berthuy conceded that "cutting hair is not a routine task for the caregivers."

In response to this incident, the Paris City Council announced that it had referred the matter to the courts.

It also said that it had summoned the director of the association running the home and planned to meet the family in the next few days.

Concerning the other case, that of the eight-year-old child who was shaved in February in a different Paris home, the city's public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for "deliberate violence". The City of Paris has described the incident as "extremely serious".