Être adulte en sortant de structures d’Aide sociale à l’enfance, le capital social au cœur de la définition de l’autonomie

in Vie sociale (2015), Nouvelle série n°12

While the passage from youth to the age of adulthood is no longer generally signified at a specific age, for young people from child protection services this is not the case as it clearly corresponds to ... [more ▼]

While the passage from youth to the age of adulthood is no longer generally signified at a specific age, for young people from child protection services this is not the case as it clearly corresponds to the age of departure from the placement. Leaving the child protection structure is a crucial step. Professionals’ work involves preparing young people for leaving and thus “helping them towards autonomy”. This article deciphers factors that have an impact on this moment of time and can affect what happens later. It discusses the “injunction to be autonomous” and its’ consequences as signified at a relatively early age compared to other groups of young people. Young people from child protection do not have the benefit of a time period enabling them to live through life experiences and they are not permitted to be “young”. Furthermore, these young people and their families often have no social capital. This article shows how can professionals take theses aspects into account in their work with them. [less ▲]