Participation, “dry exits” and institutional renewal
This article discusses certain issues related to the modernization of youth protection systems in France and Quebec in light of recently released public reports. After highlighting some of the major trajectories and institutional characteristics of these two systems, we first discuss the conditions of access and effective participation of children in the protective measures that concern them. Secondly, we explore the idea of systematizing support paths beyond the age of majority, with the goal of taking concrete institutional actions to counter the “dry-exit” phenomenon. Thirdly, the need to rethink and adapt the conditions and institutions of youth protection to better meet the needs of certain groups of vulnerable minors or young adults is discussed. Finally, this article highlights three types of convergence stemming from these public reports, whose recommendations are generally in line with both a participatory shift and the development of resilience in protected children.