Stay or Leave?

Abstract

This chapter reports on results of a study conducted with 1,622 young adults between the ages of 17 and 20, comparing the profiles of youth who either opt out or do not have access to extended services beyond the age of 18 to those who benefit from these services. Young adult protection in France, also known as Young Adult Contract, is a welfare contract between a young adult and a Child Welfare Officer that “commits” the young person to either continue their education or actively seek a job and accommodations, continue medical treatment, update administrative documentation, and learn to manage a budget. Opportunities and the limitations of extended care contracts are reviewed and the perverse effects of this measure are reviewed in a context of fiscal restraint when youth have difficulties acquiring vital skills essential for a successful transition to adulthood.