France

Founded in 1948 the National Federation of Association for Child Protection – France is a federation that brings together professional organisations as well as networks of social education medico-social and judicial organisation administrators. The Federation’s actions mainly target children in the framework of a global approach integrating all the aspects of the children and their life context. The Federation promotes the importance of children in political developments regarding child protection disabled people family justice and inclusion and strives for children to be a political priority.

Founded in 1892, the Association Samuel Vincent has been developing actions jointly with national and departmental authorities in order to promote education, animation and social action. Their main area of activities are early prevention, protection of minors and family support.

Anne Williams is an independent consultant working in the field of child welfare and children’s rights in a European context. She helped to set up Eurochild and was the Acting Secretary General from January to December 2004. She was the Co-ordinator of Eurochild’s Child Poverty Work Programme until December 2004 and is currently a Consultant to Eurochild. Prior to this, she was the Acting Secretary General of the European Forum for Child Welfare until October 2002 and before that, she was the Director for Children and Young People with the Children’s Society Cymru in Wales, UK.

Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) is a pan-European membership-based organisation          working to protect, promote and further the rights of children affected by the imprisonment of a parent. With 84 members and affiliates in 28 countries across Europe and beyond COPE works to raise awareness about the rights, needs and best interests of this particular group of children         aiming to boost their visibility so that they are included on policy agendas at the national   European and international levels.

Comité National de Solidarité Laïque is an umbrella organisation that develops solidarity programs in France and internationally. These programmes are based on access to fundamental rights, such as education, health and development education, but also fight against exclusion and discrimination. The association’s activities are non-religious and promote equality and exchange. Solidarité Laïque developed the Procopil programme in Eastern Europe aiming at promoting children’s rights.

The Secours Populaire supports people and families living in poverty or in precarious situation to enable them to have food, clothes, access care, receive legal support, go on holiday and enjoy social activities. The Secours Populaire also works for and with children and young people that are particularly vulnerable.

Philippe Roux is the founder and director (for 35 years) of the first French experimental therapeutic and school re-adaptative Centre for children aged 7-14 with major specific written language learning difficulties. This centre, created in 1970 links with research services in cognitive neuro-psychological sciences. He is also the co-founder and ex-administrator of several parental/professional associations (Apeda Apedys and their federations).

The Fondation des Apprentis d’Auteuil aims at defending the right to have a future for the most disadvantaged children and young people. The Foundation welcomes boys and girls aged from 0 to 25  that are in social, familial or affective difficulty, respecting their origin and religion. They offer them education, schooling, vocational training and prepares them to enter into life.

Group SOS Youth fights social exclusion and aims at ensuring access to social services for everyone. The Youth section of the Group’s main activities are child care, education through sport, proximity sponsorship, hosting support and guidance to children and adolescents in trouble, in danger or having disabilities. SOS Youth Group works with over 10 000 children and adolescents per year. They adapt their actions according to each child and preserves family ties to a maximum extent.

The mission of Initiatives of Change is to develop active citizenship by helping children   young people and adults to be partners of change for a better way to live together. The childhood pole is composed by two programs : Education for Peace, which aims at promoting psychosocial development of children and young people and CATS, an international conference where children, young people and adults work together toward a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Nexem is an umbrella organisation representing the employers of the non-for-profit social services sector in France (child protection, persons with disabilities, older people, social inclusion and health services). Nexem aims at contributing to the development of public policies (including those related to children’s rights) to best respond to the changing challenges of the sector. It exchanges with the legislator and government agencies  as well as central and local administrations to support the development of adequate public policies affecting services provision and their beneficiaries, including children.