Running Away in the Institutional Life of Minors in Care: A Negotiation with Constraints

This communication proposes to analyse “runaways”, labeled as such by an institution, as a reaction to the absence of authorisation to go out for minors entrusted to the Children Social Welfare Agency. These behaviours, which are almost inevitable in child protection in France, reveal the restrictive nature of the daily lives of young people in care. These constraints can result in restrictions on their visiting rights (Frechon, Marquet, 2017) and, affect their childhood and adolescence in more general ways, given that minors are not systematically involved in decisions that concern them (Robin, 2013). Running away is frequently associated with delinquent childhood, which places young people on a path toward a delinquent career. This is evident in the way runaways are treated in France, as they are often linked to danger and recorded as "disappearances" in police registers (116,000 Enfants Disparus). Based on the qualitative component of an ongoing doctoral research project, the act of “running away” is analysed as a means of circumventing institutional constraints that have been initially implemented as protective measures. This behaviour appears in this context as a response to the frustration caused by the burden of administrative procedures and institutional constraints experienced by adolescents in placement. These adolescents use running away as a means to assert their autonomy and maintain social ties, often with their family, friends, or romantic partners. However, the consequences associated with running away contribute to the institutionalisation of their path in life, particularly due to the involvement of police authorities, which can further limit their future opportunities. Ultimately, this presentation highlights the importance of a more flexible approach to these situations in order to support the integration of such adolescents in society in later life.