Child protection structures

Child welfare establishments (ASE)

2022 figures

3035

Structures in France

159 513

Authorized spaces per year

Main missions

  • Take care of children and families in educational, psychological and material difficulty, to preserve their health and safety.
  • Host, outside their family environments, children placed by decision of the judge.
  • Accompany administrative procedures.
  • Carry out preventive actions.

Good to know: These missions can be carried out by several ASE establishments, such as parenting centers, mother-child reception establishments, social nurseries, children's homes, children's villages, social children's homes (MECS), etc.

Main source of funding

Financed by departmental child welfare (Aide sociale à l'enfance départementale) paid by the General Council (day rate).

Professionals involved in care

  • Professionals providing social, professional and educational support (social workers, specialized educators, psychologists, etc.).
  • Administrative or organizational support professionals (including child inspectors).
Sector
Social
Target audience
0 to 21 years

Establishments and services contributing to Youth Judicial Protection (PJJ)

2022 figures

483

Structures in France

88 407

Authorized spaces per year

Main missions

  • Receive, care for or accommodate non-detained minors.
  • Inform and welcome the family.
  • Guarantee compliance with placement measures.
  • Participate in reintegration into the ordinary environment (schooling, training, daily life, extracurricular activities).
  • Intervene in so-called placement establishments: educational placement establishments (EPE), closed educational centers (CEF), reinforced educational centers (CER), open educational units (UEMO), etc.
  • Intervene in public-sector services: territorial educational services for the open environment (STEMO), court educational offices (PEAT).

Main source of funding

Financed by the Ministry of Justice, via credits from programs in the State's "Justice" mission.

Professionals involved in care

  • Professionals providing support for social, professional and educational life (including educators from the judicial youth protection service).
Sector
Social
Target audience
13 to 18 years

Living and reception areas

2022 figures

753

Structures in France

4 022

Authorized spaces per year

Main missions

  • Promote the social integration of those cared for through continuous, daily and personalized support.
  • Exercise, for minors, a mission of education, protection and supervision.
  • Co-construct a personalized project with the person being supported.
  • Base support on "Living with" and sharing daily life through the maintenance of close relationships.

Main source of funding

Financed by the Department, the State (in the case of judicial protection), ESSMS or families (in the case of psychological disorders and adjustment difficulties).

Professionals involved in care

  • Professionals providing support for social, professional and educational life (specialized educators, educational monitors, psychologists, social workers, animators, etc.
    • ).
Sector
Social
Target audience
Under 21

Child protection structures

Child protection is an essential pillar for ensuring the safety and well-being of children at risk. In a context where the risks to childhood are multiple, it is crucial to innovate in these structures to better protect young people and offer them a secure and fulfilling environment.

Etablissements de l'Aide Sociale à l'Enfance (ASE)

Assistance Sociale à l'Enfance (ASE) establishments form an integral part of the child protection structure. These establishments intervene when parents are unable to guarantee the safety and well-being of their children. The services offered by the ASE are varied and include:

  • Housing and accommodation: Children and teenagers can be placed in homes, foster families or Maisons d'Enfants à Caractère Social (MECS).
  • Educational support: Personalized support is offered to help young people overcome the difficulties they encounter.
  • Open intervention: Social workers intervene directly within families to prevent situations of danger.

These services make it possible not only to protect children, but also to support families in need, by strengthening their parenting skills.

Etablissements et Services Concourant à la Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse (PJJ)

Etablissements et services concourant à la Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse (PJJ) play an important role in the child protection structure, particularly for minors facing legal situations. The PJJ focuses on:

  • Social reintegration: young people in conflict with the law benefit from reintegration programs to help them regain a positive place in society.
  • Educational and psychological support: Educational and psychological professionals work with young people to address the underlying causes of their problem behaviors.
  • Judicial follow-up: Rigorous monitoring is carried out to ensure compliance with judicial measures and support the rehabilitation process.

The main objective of the PJJ is to protect children while offering them the means to rebuild their future under favorable conditions.

Lieux de Vie et d'Accueil

Lieux de vie et d'accueil represent a more flexible, less institutional alternative in the child protection structure. These places offer:

  • A family setting: unlike large structures, living and foster care places welcome a limited number of young people, fostering a warm, family atmosphere.
  • Personalized support: The professionals present in these places are able to provide individualized support, taking into account the specific needs of each child.
  • Activities and educational projects: The living spaces implement various educational activities and projects to stimulate young people and foster their personal development.

These structures are particularly suited to children and teenagers who require a stable, caring environment in which to flourish.

The role of the judge and the Conseil Départemental

The children's judge and the departmental council are key players in the child protection structure. The children's judge decides on the protective measures to be put in place, whether of a judicial or administrative nature. The departmental council, for its part, is responsible for implementing these decisions and coordinating the various services and establishments.

Legal and regulatory framework

Child protection is governed by a strict legal framework, notably the Code de l'Action Sociale et des Familles and laws specific to the protection of minors. These texts define the rights of children, the responsibilities of parents and institutions, and the procedures to be followed in the event of danger. Recent legislative reforms aim to strengthen coordination between the various players and improve conditions of care and support for young people in danger.

A complex set of services and establishments dedicated to the protection and support of children at risk

ASE establishments, PJJ services and living and reception facilities work together to provide a secure environment conducive to young people's development. Innovators in the medico-social and social sector can take action by proposing improvements and innovations that meet the growing needs of child protection by, for example, improving collaboration between social services, parents, judges, and departmental councils, an essential point in guaranteeing a better future for children at risk.

Child protection is a type of structures of the medico-social and social sector.

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