ENFANCES PLACEES
«Nous nous appelons Rachel, Moussa, Stephanie, Denise, Mohammed, Nathalie, Glenn, Laura... Nous avons tous en commun, a un moment ou un autre de notre enfance, d avoir croise la route d educateurs, d assistants sociaux, de familles d accueil, pour suppleer nos propres parents. Un chemin parfois seme d embuches, de doute, d envie de renoncer mais aussi eclaire par les rencontres, les soutiens et l aboutissement de nos envies, de nos projets.»
Derriere chaque enfance placee, certains d entre eux voient leur placement a l Aide Sociale a l Enfance toucher a sa fin, d autres ont deja eu une longue vie depuis et un peu de recul pour oser dire les galeres, la honte, le sentiment d imposture, les doutes, la violence... mais aussi les rencontres, la prise de confiance et la realisation de son potentiel. Ils ont accepte de donner un visage aux enfances placees, au sens propre et mettre en commun leurs histoires, en prenant tous la plume, en laissant chacun totalement libre de son style et de son propos.
En France aujourd hui 40 des sdf de moins de 25 ans sont issus de l aide social a l enfance (ASE) soit plus de 10 000 jeunes adultes. Trop souvent, au lendemain de leur majorite, ils se retrouvent a la rue, sans soutien, sans diplome pour une grande majorite dont la scolarite n a pas ete menagee. Leur chemin sont divers, les structures d accueil et les conditions ne sont pas les memes pour tous. Pour ces 300 000 a 400 000 enfants et adolescents qui passent par l ASE la duree et les conditions d hebergements peuvent constituer un deuxieme frein a leurs chances de s en sortir. Malgre les difficultes et elles sont nombreuses, beaucoup s en sortent a force de volonte.
Le projet s articule autour de portraits de ces adultes qui sont passe par l ASE et d enfants encore places. Chacun a choisi un lieu pour realiser la seance photo.
Ces portraits volontairement bienveillants ont pour but de donner aux sujets la possibilite de vivre une experience unique, et d apprehender differemment leur image de soi pour certain. C est aussi l occasion de leur offrir la possibilite de s exprimer sur leur vie a travers une tribune libre. Tout ce processus a pour but de leur donner de la visibilite, et d augmenter l estime qu ils ont d eux meme jeunes adultes et enfants n ayant pu beneficier dans leur parcours de vie du soutien effectif et affectif de leur famille.
Le projet s appuie sur le reseau de l association REPAIRS! creee en 2015 par des adultes pour la plupart tout juste sortis de l ASE avec l envie de federer tous ceux qui ont eu un jour a connaitre une situation d accueil en protection de l enfance (foyers, famille d accueil, lieux de vie, etc.).
Ce sujet documentaire constitue de 46 portraits, a ete realise entre 2020 et 2021, a donne lieux a un exposition en decembre 2021 sur les murs de la Caserne Napoleon dans Paris.
childhood in care
"Our names are Rachel, Moussa, Stéphanie, Denise, Mohammed, Nathalie, Glenn, Laura... We all have in common, at one time or another in our childhood, to have crossed the path of educators, social workers, foster families, to replace our own parents. A path sometimes strewn with pitfalls, doubt, the desire to give up, but also enlightened by the encounters, the support and the outcome of our desires and projects.
Behind each child in care, some of them see their placement at the Aide Sociale à l'Enfance coming to an end, others have already had a long life since and a little distance to dare to tell the galleys, the shame, the feeling of imposture, the doubts, the violence... but also the encounters, the gaining of confidence and the realisation of their potential. They have agreed to give a face to the childhoods they have placed, in the literal sense, and to share their stories, by all taking up the pen, leaving each one completely free to express his or her views. They have agreed to give a face to the children they have placed, in the literal sense of the word, and to share their stories, by all taking up the pen, leaving each one totally free to choose his or her own style and words.
In France today, 40% of homeless people under the age of 25 come from the child welfare system (ASE), i.e. over 10,000 young adults. All too often, the day after they come of age, they find themselves on the street, without support, without a diploma for the vast majority of whom their schooling has not been spared. Their paths are diverse, the reception structures and conditions are not the same for all. For these 300,000 to 400,000 children and adolescents who pass through the ASE, the duration and conditions of their accommodation can be a second obstacle to their chances of getting out. Despite the difficulties, and there are many of them, many manage to get out by dint of their will.
The project is based on portraits of these adults who have been through the ASE and of children still in care. Each has chosen a place to do the photo shoot.
These deliberately benevolent portraits aim to give the subjects the possibility of living a unique experience, and to apprehend their self-image differently for some. It is also an opportunity to offer them the possibility to express themselves on their life through an open forum. This whole process aims to give them visibility and to increase their self-esteem; young adults and children who have not been able to benefit from the effective and emotional support of their families.
The project is based on the network of the association REPAIRS! created in 2015 by adults, most of whom have just left the ASE, with the aim of bringing together all those who have been in a child protection situation (homes, foster families, living facilities, etc.).
This documentary subject, made up of 46 portraits, was produced between 2020 and 2021 and will be exhibited in December 2021 on the walls of the Caserne Napoléon in Paris.
