ASE: 11 Billion Euros, and Children Plunged into Hell

Eleven billion euros. That is the budget France allocates each year to child protection. In 2023, the departments spent 11 billion euros on child protection, 80% of which went toward ASE foster care services. The average annual cost of care per beneficiary is 41,000 euros nationwide. Eleven billion. And what is the result? DREES

A parliamentary investigative report presented on April 8, 2025, by Representative Isabelle Santiago denounces “a state scandal” and “an ecosystem that is now in a state of collapse.” Children in the ASE system are twice as likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, two to three times more likely to suffer from respiratory diseases, and twice as likely to develop cancer. In terms of mental health, they are far more prone to sleep disorders, depressive disorders, and suicidal behavior. Franceinfo

By the end of 2024, more than 402,400 children and young people were receiving child welfare services, more than half of whom were placed outside their families. A quarter of France’s homeless population comes from the child welfare system. Those the system was supposed to protect end up on the streets. Those who were supposed to be cared for end up broken. Childhood at the Heart

The government contributes only 3% of the 10 billion spent each year on child protection, while asking the departments to provide nearly 900 million euros in additional funding in the 2025 budget. It provides 3% of the funding, makes 100% of the decisions, and leaves others to deal with the mess. Franceinfo

Organizations responsible for carrying out measures ordered by judges appear to be involved in a system where placements are not always justified by the best interests of the child, but are motivated by the desire to sustain the economic activity of these organizations, which receive public subsidies for each child in their care. Ccomptes

Eleven billion. For whom? The question deserves an answer.