Child care (Aide à l’enfance et à la famille) is available for children and young adults in difficulties as well as for their families. Children and young adults in difficulties are those that are threatened in their physical, mental, psychical and social development, are facing a physical or moral danger or are at risk of social and professional exclusion.
This assistance is organised around three actors or groups of actors :
- Office national de l'Enfance (ONE) (National Office for Children) : this department of the Ministry acts as a one-stop shop to which the child, the young adult, a member of their family or a professional may turn to request help;
- The state structures : boarding schools ; l'Institut étatique d’aide à l’enfance et à la jeunesse - AITIA ; the Centre socio-éducatif de l’État ;
- private service providers approved by the Ministry.