France has 1.3 million social workers according to the latest figures from the statistical service of social ministries, which date from 2018.
Lack of places in childcare facilities, administrative overload, insufficient staff: working conditions in the child protection sector continue to deteriorate, worsening the care of the most vulnerable. “If there aren’t more hires and we don’t revalue our profession, everything will collapse. We not only denounce our low salaries but above all the lack of means in the field», Laments Maxime (who did not wish to give his name), educator instructor.
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On June 2, social workers organized several rallies across France to denounce the situation “disastrousin which they practice their profession. France has 1.3 million social workers (specialized educators, social workers, childminders, etc.), according to the latest figures from the statistical service of social ministries (DREES), which date from 2018. A figure that has stagnated since 2012. More of 300,000 minors were followed in child protection, of which nearly 194,000 are entrusted to Childhood Social Assistance (ASE), indicates a report by the National Observatory for Child Protection in 2020. They were 284,000 ten years ago. Florence Pik, CGT union member and specialist educator for young adults in an ASE service in Paris, says that in her service, “each educator is responsible for 80 to 100 files simultaneously».
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«Current institutional frameworks push us to be abusive. We dedicate entire days to paperwork, we almost time our appointments and we find ourselves sending 15-year-olds to hotels due to lack of space in our structures.“Abounds Lyes Louffok, former foster child, child rights activist and member of the National Council for Child Protection.
One out of four homeless people is a former foster child
Dysfunctions are particularly felt in the follow-up of young adults. The Taquet law, promulgated on February 7, 2022, requires the departments to offer support for young adults aged 18 to 21, in order to avoid “dry exits» hostels or foster families. “It’s May and every day I still see 18-year-olds being kicked out and local authorities breaking the law», S’agace Lyes Louffok. «The departments can no longer put young people on the street on the day of their majority, but there is no guarantee of support time».
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«We manage heavy and stressful situations. For young people who are placed in personal accommodation or in a hotel, we are the only ones to follow them, except that we are already overwhelmed. If they don’t show up, we can forget them“says Florence Pik, who accompanies young adults who have obtained a “young adult contract“. These contracts, managed by the departments and therefore subject to disparity depending on the location, aim to support young, vulnerable people, aged 18 to 21. But it is clear that this support is largely insufficient, or unsuitable: according to INSEE, nearly one in four homeless people (23%) is a former foster child. “The time is no longer for observation. There, we are asking for concrete solutions and it gives hope to see that we can fight collectively with all social workers.”, advances the specialized educator unionized at the CGT.