Violence sous protection. Expériences et parcours des jeunes récemment sortis de placement

In recent years, the public authorities have frequently been questioned by former foster carers, care professionals and media about situations of violence in the child protection system. Based on a Longitudinal Study of Young People’s Leaving Care, we analyse the forms of violence experienced and identified by young people leaving care as well as the contexts of this experience. First, we show that the perception of violence can only be understood through the social and family background of young people. Secondly, violence between child and care professionals even by peers is the consequence of behind-closed-doors situations, thus making it difficult to denounce. Violence against children by adults appears to be particularly acute in some foster families, while peer-to-peer violence is more frequently reported in child protection institutions like residential care. On a structural level, public policy choices and the lack of resources allocated to child protection are themselves the cause of violence. Some stages appear particularly critical from the young people’s point of view: entry into care, changes of care placement and leaving care.