Ban on placements in hotels, standards of supervision in homes, better remuneration for family assistants: a bill aimed at improving the lot of minors entrusted to Social Welfare for Children will be examined in July in Parliament, the Secretary of State for Children announced Thursday, May 27 to AFP.
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This bill, which was announced at the end of January by Secretary of State Adrien Taquet, is intended to "
truly guarantee children a safe and peaceful living environment, and professionals an improved exercise of their missions
", is it indicated in its presentation, consulted by AFP. Presented to the Council of Ministers "
by June 16,
" it "
should be examined at first reading in the National Assembly in the first half of July,
" said the secretary of state's office.
Among the most awaited measures, it must prohibit the reception of minors placed in hotels. "
A decree will detail the prohibited establishments (social hotels, tourist hotels ...) but also the exceptions (emergency, shelter) strictly framed with reinforced requirements of educational support, in order to prevent minors find themselves in the street
”, it is specified.
A report from the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas), requested by the government after the murder in December 2019 of a 17-year-old teenager placed in a hotel in Hauts-de-Seine, had pointed out in January the "
dangers well identified
”incurred by ASE minors accommodated in hotels: the educators are not present enough and the young people are close to the places of trafficking.
According to the Igas, between 7,500 and 10,500 minors are concerned, 95% being unaccompanied foreign minors, known as unaccompanied minors (unaccompanied minors).
"
Strict controls
" of adults in contact with children
The bill also provides for "
strict controls
", in particular of the criminal records of all adults in contact with children (professionals and volunteers). He wants to establish standards of supervision common to all structures taking care of minors, and improve the training of professionals, "in
particular in the identification and reporting of worrying information linked to acts of violence
".
With regard to family assistants, who take in placed children in their homes, it will set a minimum remuneration for the reception of a single child - currently below the minimum wage - and the maintenance of remuneration in the event of suspension of approval, a measure strongly demanded by these professionals recently mobilized for better working conditions.
To avoid the hiring of less virtuous family assistants, a national database of approvals, listing validations, refusals, withdrawals or suspensions, will also be created.
More than 350,000 children are the subject of a protection measure in France, half of whom are placed in homes or with foster families.