EUROCEF ACTIVITY 2013-2014

NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS

The year has been rich for actions and thoughts concerning Eurocef, mostly through its members’ efforts.

We’ve got several new subscriptions on 2013 such as:

• Physical members: Lydie Deménes Percival (training manager for 3 and 4 levels in Buc Ressources), Brigitte Rouchy (executive assistant director in Jenner’s Department of Jean Coxtet’ association).
• Legal entity : Jeunes Amis du Marais association

In 2014, five physical members joined Eurocef: Corine Guigou, (educative counselor in Jean Coxtet association), Hélène Garrigues (social worker for Paris DASES), Annie Léculée (Departmental head for social prevention in DASES organization), Faelle Dubois (student), Véronique Bordes (university lecturer for the Toulouse faculty).

Other subscriptions requests have been listed and will be suggested to board accreditations on 2014 October 24^th.

Regarding to the legal entities and from October 2013, the Jean Coxtet association has been headed by Béatrice Lacaze Morais. Michel Julien still represents APEA and CNAEMO organizations, as Viviane Theys for the ASBL Globul’In and Philippe Gressin for Avenir Social.

WORK ORGANIZATION / ORGANISATION DU TRAVAIL

Eurocef did organise :

• In 2013 : 3 meetings of the board (on 26^th jauary, 04^th april, 06^th june), 1 workshop with the board (10^th to 13rd of October) and 1 general assembly (june 06^th).
• In 2014: 3 meetings of the board (17^th to 18^th of January, 15^th march, 13rd September) and 1 general assembly (23^rd of October).

As it was notified, we’re trying to organize once a year, a meeting and an associated workshop outside Paris. In 2013, we’ve been hosted by Caval association in l’Île d’Yeu. That was indeed a way to gather within the Eurocef members. We need to spend time together out of formal meetings.

We also initiated “the Eurocef mornings” and we’ve asked Véronique Bordes to talk about youth and youth policy. The first morning session held by the Foyer Jenner and had precede the wided board meeting on January 18^th. This has been opened to all interested persons. The meeting was followed by a collective luncheon, prepared by the Foyer Jenner.

ACTION REALISED

European Régional Sessions

Eurocef has been requested by the IRTS of Montrouge to sit at the steering committee for the European Regional Sessions expected on March, form the 26^th to 28^th regarding to health and citizenship. The symposium was cancelled because of a lack of interest in the topic.

METS GA in Barcelona with Montserra Feu cooperation

Colette, Evelyne and Michel attended to the METS’ General Assembly in Barcelona on March 2013. The social networks with the METS have to be reinforced. Their office change and their inner restructuration had disrupted the information flow. Therefore we did’nt get any news until Anna resumed contacts lately.

Eurocef collective complaint lodged to European Committee of Social Rights

In April of 2012, Eurocef lodged a collective complain by the European Committee of Social Rights regarding to the interruption of the French Act on child allowances. The complaint was well received by the ECSR and notified down through its march 19^th of 2013 report.

However, the involved Act has been repealed in between. The ECSR experts considered (by a majority and two votes against) that there is no violation of the 16^th article [of the revised Social Charter] given the repeal of the Act. Thus, the committee did not want to ascertain the infringement during the active period of the Act. This ruled out an in-depth debate in CEDS. Some of them (the 2 against votes) said that it’s unacceptable to state on the agreement of the claim and do not state on the violation meanwhile over the period concerned (questioned by the complaint).

Training activities

The team training of the commission has been further strengthened in 2013. Other new members had work by the side of Patrick Chiniard, Philippe Lecorne and Anna Rurka: as Laetitia Naud who co-facilitated a training in ETSUP’ school and was assigned by herself to give a class in Buc Ressources; Michel Julien is involved in training sessions by guiding a students’ group in Strasbourg : Viviane Theys co-facilitated a training in Montrouge IRTS.

Overview on 2013’ trainings:

We took part on 7 different social training organizations:

• ETSUP : DEIS class 2 days,
• IRTS Montrouge Master 2 training: 3 days (including a visit to the CoE in Strasbourg),
• IRTS Poitiers : CAFERUIS 1 day
• BUC ressources : initial training for social workers : 1/2 day,
• MECS Clair Matin : study day in PAU,

CNAEMO : 2 ½ days  participation on user’ assignment (Boulogne Sur Mer and Amiens).

We distributed the satisfaction survey in 2 related occasions and get back some interesting feedbacks.

Clair Matin asked us to share on parental sustain counselling which expanded our range of possibilities.

For many times we intervened through tandems which was well appreciated by the students (ETSUP and IRTS Montrouge). Those tandems were bilingual either French-polish or French-belgian and also French-french. 4 persons have taught the courses in 2013.

It’s noted that the number of participants is changing from a session to another (8 to 80) which leads to moving pedagogical conditions. The ideal number to evolve the exchanges takes place from 25 to 35 students at it seems.

Balance sheet:

We obtained the €4700 amount due to the trainings, to which about 1000 € are withdrawn for taxes (travels and accommodations).

Communication of Eurocef’ actions

Also Eurocef takes care about its website which is regularly updated by Laetitia Naud. It’s simple and easily understood and the wheel is to report on our actions and proposals.

Following the website inception the board of trustees has decided not to continue about the newsletter knowing that there was no regularity on publication. It was agreed that the informations related to topical issues and concerns woul appear on the website. The Newsletter will be given occasionally to spread the Eurocef view according elected topical issues.

The commission on communication subsequently stopped to work.

Meetings in Italy

In February of 2013 Colette Debersee and Viviane Theys have been to Roma in order to meet Raffaele Occulto and his colleagues. Italian counterparts have shown great interest in Lanzarote framework. Miss Stefanelli, director for the Central Institute of the Department for Juvenile Justice wished that Eurocef settled down a seminar juvenile justice to improve the reflection on it. We need a preparatory meeting to work on a training-seminar frame including the youth project (confer to Lanzarote seminar – October 2014). The common purposes during this Italian encounter were: –       A child abuse and exploitation phenomena assess is an ongoing process. By the end of February, the whole Italian areas should report their statistical data. However, it seems that not any relevant information are given by social departments, there is no data on it.-       The question of the Lanzarote follow-up leads to problems. Regarding to paedophile acts, some data are given to the minister but remains very partial. –       The sexual violence seems to be intra-familial and between young people but once again the general overview about the true scale of the problem doesn’t exist. These meetings were also the occasion to meet with Professor Vincenzo Piccione from Rome 3 University who proposed Eurocef to build a partnership in European Pro-Child project (protection of children by innovative learning directions). However, this one another financial applying process to the European Union didn’t succeed. The guiding concept of this project aims to give an innovating approach of the programs, and a cultural change to generate civic responsibility on youth’ side, mostly through a child-to-child tutoring and educational system.

Development of a new European draft about youth

The work carried on by the draft committee held in 2 actions: youth draft and Lanzarote framework. We wished to work out a European project to identifying best practices for empowering young people who have been supported by child protection resources.

Several commission meetings drove to draft structuring and project model. The Globul’in ABSL project partner and moral entity in Eurocef had gather many Belgian partners and in this purpose. Evelyne Roche had also participated to a related symposium held by the Child Protection and Welfare Department in Belgium. In France, so far, we didn’t work out a good process to both associate the partners and co-construct this collective project, because of the lack of endowment funds. The initial idea was to submit this project to European Union as part of Erasmus +. Following this, Patrick Chigniard has contacted the Groupe SOS which had a quite same intent. As the result of this dynamic collective work, ABEONA’s draft was settled down. Several meetings took place between Eurocef members and the Groupe SOS junior officers. ABEONA project reached the European Union on October 2014 as part as ERASMUS + program. Eurocef is now in partnership with : Plateforme Insertion (France) Fondation  Robinson Crusoe (Poland), FEPA Spain (Spanish Fédération), IGFH Germany, FICE Austria (as International Federation of Educatives communities member), Plataforma Educativa (Spanish association) Universität Hildesheim (Germany), CERSO (Belgium) Institut Cardjin (Belgium). We’ll know next December if the project would succeed. The implementation set to begin in February 2015.

Regarding to this and specifically about the young people and their participation to democratic process, ASBL Globul’In gets involved on behalf Eurocef to the Europe’s conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE). That was the occasion for introducing European AKKRO FUN SCHOOL project, headed by ASBL Globul’In.

Lanzarote framework in Paris and Eurocef efforts to move along Lanzarote Convention

The late Hervé Nolland, wanted to carry out a thorough examination about a common work between police and social workers. It happened again when Anna Rurka has been nominated as Childhood Family assistant with the President of the INGOs Conference and when Evelyne Roche, as a Pedagogical Director of Foyer Jenner (association Jean Coxtet) has started to work with Brigade for Protection of minors in Paris. The Lanzarote framework was also created because th 1/5 Campain and the Lanzarote Project has become one of the leading issues of the European Council and when Anna started to represent the INGO Conference at the Committee of the Parties. Evelyne Roche did organize a first meeting with Paris Brigade for Protection of minors, which was also attended by Gérard Greneron, Alain Griffond, Michel Julien, Evelyne Roche et Anna Rurka. Therefore the will shown by the Paris BPM, Eurocef / the Commission on Human Rights / INGO Conference have sent a letter to the Prefect asking for the implementation of a GT. The consent was given.

From December 2012, 8 meetings (5 in 2013 and 3 in 2014) have been organized in  European council office in Paris. Representative of several protection of childhood fields are convened. This group consists of several associative members and public departments officers. Moreover professionals have been consulted to talk about specific topics.

 Associative members

• L’ECPAT, association française faisant partie de l’ECPAT Europe également représenté au Comité Lanzarote
• L’association ARC 75
• Groupe de Recherche et d’Action auprès de Jeunes Adolescents de la Rue
• L’association Jean COXTET
• L’association DEI France (Droits de l’enfant international),
• Le centre des Buttes Chaumont,
• Association française et internationale des Magistrats de la Jeunesse et de la Famille (AFMJF) membre de l’association internationale AIMJF ayant le statut participatif au Conseil de l’Europe
• ONES

Public entities officers

• La police (Brigade de la Protection des mineurs de Paris)
• L’éducation nationale (service social, protection de l’enfance au Rectorat de Paris)
• La justice (magistrats et protection judiciaire de la jeunesse)
• L’hôpital (personne n’est présent mais le CR est adressé à la Responsable du service Unité Médico-Judiciaire, Hôtel Dieu
• Direction de l’Action Sociale, de l’Enfance et de la Santé de Paris
• Direction Territoriale de la Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse de Paris

Personnes invitées et entendues

• Marie Derain, Défenseure des enfants auprès du Défenseur des droits
• Cabinet Hincker & Associes, consultant externe/expert indépendant agréé auprès du Conseil de l’Europe et auprès de la Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme (CEDH)
• Service de l’AEMO spécifique de l’ADSEA de Carcassonne
• Association SOS inceste
• Service de l’AEMO spécifique de l’association AGEP
• Service d’AEMO spécifique de l’Association d’action éducative de Loire-Atlantique (AAE 44)

Throughout 2013-2014

A meeting between Eurocef / the Commission on Human Rights of the INGO Conference/ the representatives from Paris Mayorship (Myriam Gil Directrice de cabinet of Mr. Romain LEVY, Adjoint au Maire de Paris in charge of childhood protection,  Rudy REICHSTADT – chef de cabinet of Mr Romain LEVY, Alice Brassens, in charge of Solidarity, childhood protection, adoption and social integration) / and Joanne Hunting Hanting co-responsible of secretariat the current affaires for the Congress of Local and regional Authorities of European Council,  in order that Paris City signs the 1/5 Pact of the Congress. As it was the termination of the mayor city team mandate, another updated meeting should be organized.

• The working group members participated to the Lanzarote Convention process and stages while answering to 2 follow-up questionnaires made by the Committee of the Parties.
• Due to valuable communication work from Evelyne Roche’s side regarding to the GT, this one has been requested by Paris’ DASES to be a part of the Departmental Plan of Child Protection for the next years (2015-2018).

This plan serves as programming on new child protection devices, and new working methods on local and departmental levels. According to the current legislation, the department is leading of the whole actions towards child protection process. Therefore, the working group submits the DASES, 2 proposals which seem relevant to ensure coordination work among all actors in Paris.

• The working group also elaborated the “recommendations for actions” related to accompany the minors whether sexually abused or exploited and abusive children. There were sent to the Committee of the Parties and it can be read to the dedicated Lanzarote Convention’ website : http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/childrenF/RepliesOtherStakeholders_fr.asp

1. Need on specific psycho-socio-educative backing on Paris area

Let’s think about a department/device commanded by the judge for juveniles and a working line which would be the new guidance while the legal action goes on. This would be a significant development in the child protection field. Indeed, most of the time it appears that assaults cases occurs in a trusting environment. The link between the child and his environment is not broken (despite the care institutionalisation of the child), and it’s appropriate to work about this link. Those link issues should not last beyond the legal treatment. This is why it’s relevant to work on psycho-socio-educative backing with the close family members. This would match with the penal law treatment of the offence which works in a specific frame mostly unknown by the social workers whom are working in the daily life with the child as a victim. A dedicated department could work on the link between the protecting child program and the process aiming to find the offender. Having better understanding and knowing more of a making of law turns to be essential. The social workers sparsely specialized do not know how to explain a drop case, a non-suit, although they are aware of the chid’ situation, which is not currently the case. Also a communication between the courts involved: investigating judge and judge for juveniles, would help. Nevertheless innovative practices are not only held on responsibility of the judiciary system. The cooperation work is highly demanded by the intricacy of the process.

2. Propose a specific and cross-sectional training towards all the stakeholders in a given area (district scale for instance)

A preliminary stage to this kind of new department/device proceeds to a multisectorial agreement in order to simplify the management of intervention and to avoid a multiplication effect of procedures in each level that results on child ‘victimization. This training would ease with flanking measures. That could include the value of a common understanding relating to a response protocol and the reciprocal skills. That training could concern professionals from different levels and from public or private sectors. Knowing that a shared consensus among the members (mostly Miss Derain), came to be a lack of training background, heightening awareness and knowledge about sexual violence (in the professionals’ training courses).

Participation in sessions of the INGO‘ Conference of the Council of Europe

Besides Michel Julien and Anna Rurka involvments as Eurocef’ permanent representative members, others have been attending to it. We maintained the principle of disposing of donating Eurocef travelling fees for one to two participating members. In order to improve our inner thought ability about Eurocef European activity, 3 other external persons have attended to the visit of the European Council in the context of Montrouge studying.

Anna Rurka activities within the INGO Conference

Working as an assistant of the President of the INGO Conference relating to childhood and families.

Above all it was about the implementation of follow-up surveys dedicated to the Convention. The question was how to involve the civil population in the follow up process as any other governmental representatives whom have ratified the Lanzarote Convention. Anna Rurka and Gérard Greneron are animating a Working Group Lanzarote in the Commission of Human Rights in order to connect the GT works on national territories with the Conference’ activities. It has to lead to grassroots-players mobilization in the follow-up process of the Convention based on several reports. It is essential that the civil society claims its opinion on the Convention’ set up, from the signatory countries in order that the Committee of The Parties notes the spread between the government answers and the civil society entity. Moreover this working group, another working group has been created in Lisboa. Raffaele Occulto, founding member of Eurocef, had moved his Italian network to facilitate the follow-up process on the Convention.

International Work Seminary of Lanzarote Group in  Castigliona delle Stieviere

This Seminary was organised in Castigliona delle Stieviere from the 21th to the 22^nd of October 2014, by Eurocef with the Italian Training Center for the Juvenile Justice Department and the Commission of The Human Rights for the INGO Conference. In addition of the Frenchs, Italians and Belgians members of Eurocef, it gathered representatives for: Ecpat Italia, the Training Center for Justice Ministery, the Italian Social co-op “Be Free”;  the founding of the Centre des Buttes Chaumont, a professor from Institut Cardjin in Belgium, a researcher of Florence’ University, Gérard Greneron as the Vice President of the DH Commission.

Anna Rurka has to report on this seminary on the next meeting of th Committe of the Parties in the European Council.

And by the end this is also the termination of the mandate for the President (renewed for several times)…

Le 23 octobre 2014

La Présidente

Anna RURKA