Placement policy of young people in public youth protection institutions

The Belgian Court of Audit carried out an audit of the French Community’s placement policy of young people in its public youth protection institutions. The Court noted that the institutions’ accommodation capacity is rather the result of a historical development than of a thorough assessment of the sector’s needs. Not all request for placement submitted by magistrates are met. Moreover, the French Community does not monitor the cost per placement and, while staff costs represent the largest share of the institutions’ operating costs, there is no regulatory standard defining the volume of staff. Finally, the institutions’ performance in terms of education and family, professional and social reintegration of youth is hardly analysed. The Court recommends developing collaboration between the services in charge of youth care and education and assessing the institutions’ performance according to criteria based on regulations.