The infant protection system in France: How does it work?

Abstract

The French system for protection of infants and toddlers relies on the collaboration of several different partners for preventing, screening, assessing, intervening in, and treating cases of infant abuse and neglect. This article first provides a brief historic overview and some data about the protection of infants in France, with data focused on the Parisian area. We then describe the tasks and interconnections of these different agencies and administrations, and offer some reflections on the actual functioning of the system. Finally, some suggestions for changes are provided. Discussion should begin on a theoretical level regarding whether we should continue with institutionalization of infants for long periods of time, as is still the case in Paris. Discussion also should take place regarding which is the higher priority when infants and children are in situations of danger, abuse, and/or neglect of infants: (a) the hope of reestablishing parental rights or (b) the need of the infant for a secure and stable attachment relationship. The process of evaluating parental caregiving skills would benefit from more clinical observation as well as structured methods of assessment.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Foster Care and Institutional Care for Children With Signs of Reactive Attachment Disorder

“…Both types of the disorder, emotionally withdrawn (inhibited) and the indiscriminately social (disinhibited), have been described in young children who have been maltreated or raised in conditions of deprivation (2–4). Interest in the effects of institutional care persists to the present day because many children throughout the world are raised in institutions as a result of abuse or neglect, abandonment, or parental incapacity or death (5–7). Often, these institutions are large group settings with multiple caregivers whose rotating schedules do not support the development of a focused attachment relationship between a child and a given caregiver (8, 9).…”

Questionnaire Guide d’Évaluation des difficultés psychologiques de jeunes enfants pris en charge par la Protection de l’Enfance

“…Le système Français nécessite une grande coopération entre l'ASE qui dépend du Conseil Général de chaque département, l'institution judiciaire et une multitude d'acteurs dont le secteur associatif avec ses missions de service public. La multiplicité des intervenants, leurs manques de coordination, le manque de transparence des prises de décision et le manque d'outils d'évaluation ont souvent été mis en avant pour souligner des aspects mal adaptés du système français de protection de l'enfance (Soulé & Noël, 1971: Guedeney & Guedeney, 2008.…”

“…Les recherches sur l'évaluation de la santé mentale des enfants pris en charge par les services de protection de l'enfance sont le plus souvent récentes. Les différentes études en Europe, aux USA, en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande mettent en relief la prévalence des difficultés psychologiques (Dale, Baker, Anastasio, & Purcell, 2007 ;Tarren-Sweeney & Hazel, 2006 ;2008). Cependant les recherches sur l'évaluation de la santé mentale des jeunes enfants sont peu fréquentes et difficiles à mener (Silver & Dicker, 2007).…”