At a time when budgets are discussed, negotiated, debated and fought over, economic arguments seem to be the last resort. A study conducted by the collective “Cause Majeur!” – which brings together about thirty associations – published this Thursday, November 13 and entitled “Les Vies de Paul”, shows that long-term support for young people originating from child welfare (ASE) is beneficial for society.
A “total net profit of 1.8 million euros” per accompanied young person, reports the study which, to support its argument, imagines several fictitious trajectories, combining each of them what young people can bear for society in the form of support and health costs and what they can generate in the form of contributions or taxes paid on their income and expenses.
The calculations, which take into account expenses (RSA, emergency accommodation, etc.) and income (social, employer contributions, income tax, etc.), conclude that society has a profit of 1.8 million euros. “all the lives of young people” if accompanied until the age of 25 years.
If a young person is left to his own devices, after leaving ASE, he will likely experience this “unemployed, homeless”argued collectively. But if he benefits from support, he will be more able to obtain it “stable job” which can produce an average “profit of 460,000 euros throughout his life”full of research. The Collective demands that this obligation to provide support become an enforceable right: young people will decide – together with the education team – when they no longer need support.
Beyond the economic arguments, the study primarily shows shortcomings in supporting young people from ASE after they turn 18, despite the Taquet law that is supposed to regulate the process. This law, passed in 2022, aims to guarantee young people leave the protective support of ASE until the age of 21. However, in fact, research shows that an average of one in two adults is no longer accompanied after the age of 18.
The length of this support creates large disparities depending on the department looked at, with ranges ranging from «29 % (up to) 71 %» accompanied by a young adult. “We have a department that can consider that a young person entering an apprenticeship, because he has financial resources, is considered independent and therefore does not need to be supported”explained the collective. To evaluate the concrete application of Taquet’s law, “Primary Cause!” has also launched a fourth national questionnaire, the results of which will be published in February.
