Talking about Sexuality in Institutions

In France, the affective and sexual relationships of young people who have experienced foster care or institutional care within the child welfare services constitute a blind spot in the research. However, young people in care constitute a significant social group due to their numbers. Available research on the subject emphasises that the main agents of socialisation in terms of sexuality (family, peers, school) are disrupted and redefined by the placement in care of the child (Frechon, Elap, 2016), leading to an atypical socialisation in this area. This paper proposes to analyse the way in which professionals approach sexuality with young people. This topic allows us to explore the different professional practices that frame discussions on sexuality within youth institutions. It will address the modes and actors involved in communicating about sexuality, the different types of tone used in exchanges, and questions of visibility and invisibility of sexuality in an institutional setting. These factors will help to shed light on the obstacles encountered by professionals, particularly in relation to questions around their suitability in dealing with such issues, as some professionals fear transgressing institutional rules. This reluctance is accentuated by the family background of the young people, some of whom come from backgrounds where sexuality is taboo.