PARTICIPATION IN DAILY LIFE

PARTICIPATION IN DAILY LIFE
― CARMEN CHRISTOPHE & CORINNE BINGEN

THE WORK OF EDUCATORS IN DAY AND NIGHT CARE CENTRES
Educators play a central role in supporting placed children and young adults. They create a secure, structured, and caring living environment that promotes well-being, autonomy, and socialisation. Their mission is both educational, pedagogical, and relational, respecting professional boundaries in line with each young person's individualised project. They act transparently, explaining their actions, fostering a climate of trust, and enabling each child and young adult to understand and take ownership of the living environment's framework and structure. They actively encourage children's and young people's participation in decisions affecting them: choosing activities, organising daily life, expressing needs and feelings. They ensure family ties are maintained by facilitating exchanges with parents, sibling meetings—even when siblings are placed in other facilities—and connections with extended family such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Through listening, presence, and consistency, educators become stable reference points, mediators, and essential companions in young people's overall development on their path to autonomy. Educators also support educational and professional pathways, taking into account each individual's strengths and challenges.

PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

IN OUR LIVING GROUPS
In our living groups, children's and young people's participation occurs through exchange sessions, daily life councils, individual discussions, and meetings. They share opinions, make choices, suggest ideas, and voice wishes and concerns. This involvement strengthens their autonomy, self-esteem, and sense of belonging.

SPACES FOR EXPRESSION
In our living groups, we implement concrete means to encourage children's participation in daily decisions. Visual lists allow them to sign up for activities offered by the Foundation. A wish list is available to express preferences for menus or leisure activities. Children can also share ideas or concerns during group exchange times or by speaking directly to their reference educator or another available team member. This approach fosters listening, respect for each voice, and strengthens their involvement in group life. They can also personalise their rooms and contribute to decorating shared spaces. Within living groups, a wish box offers young people the freedom to suggest wishes or ideas for themselves or the group as a whole.

FOLLOWING UP WISHES AND CRITICISM
Educators respond to children's wishes and criticisms with active listening, benevolence, and an open dialogue attitude. They value their voice, recognise their needs, and take time to explain responses given, whether positive or negative. They thus encourage expression, strengthen mutual trust, and support their participation in group life while maintaining a clear, fair, and reassuring framework for all.

STRUCTURING AND ORGANISING PARTICIPATION

ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION THROUGH SPEAKING TIMES
In our living groups, a monthly assembly of children and young people is organised to promote their active participation. This collective exchange time allows young people to express ideas, wishes, needs, or concerns regarding daily life within the home or Foundation. They can suggest activities, discuss organisation, or share feelings in a caring and respectful framework. Educators act as mediators and companions during this assembly. They can also engage them on specific themes, gather children's opinions, or clarify living rules. This moment fosters co-construction of the framework, develops a sense of responsibility, and strengthens feelings of being heard, trust, and group belonging.

GUARANTEEING THE BALANCE OF RIGHTS AND DUTIES
In our living groups, the balance between duties and freedoms is guaranteed by a clear, fair, and evolving framework. Children have spaces of freedom to express themselves, choose activities, or participate in decisions, while respecting common living rules. Rights are valued but always accompanied by responsibilities adapted to each one's age and abilities. The educator supports young people in understanding and appropriating this balance, thus promoting their autonomy and personal development in a structuring and secure climate.

HOW DOES THIS WORK IN PRACTICE?

CHALLENGES TO ADDRESS
Several elements can hinder participation dynamics. Sometimes participation remains symbolic. Children's opinions are sought, but it is not always possible to fully take them into account in decisions. This limit, when not explained, can generate frustration or disinterest. Lack of time, human resources, or professional training also represents a major obstacle. Communication plays a key role. If information is not adapted to the child's age or understanding, they may feel excluded from exchanges. Additionally, rigid hierarchical structures can limit the place given to their voice. To support authentic participation, it is essential to create secure expression spaces, foster constant dialogue, and recognise the value of children's and young people's ideas. This requires a benevolent, coherent professional posture respecting their pace.

… AND NOTABLE SUCCESSES
During holiday preparations in our living groups, children are involved at every stage: theme choice, decoration, menu preparation, and activity organisation. Everyone can suggest ideas, take responsibilities, and contribute according to their wishes and abilities. This involvement strengthened group cohesion, children's self-confidence, and their sense of usefulness. We also developed a pedagogical document presenting the daily structure in our living group. This support, designed with and for children, provides daily life legibility. It specifies key times (wake-up, meals, school time, activities, relaxation, bedtime) and necessary references for harmonious collective life. This document aims to secure children by making the framework understandable and predictable, while promoting their autonomy. It is a living, adaptable tool according to needs, which can be discussed in assembly or individual interviews. By co-constructing these references, children better appropriate their daily life, strengthening their involvement, sense of stability, and ability to project into the future.

AT TEAM LEVEL

PARTICIPATION ALSO TRANSLATES INTO GREATER COLLABORATION
Participation concerns not only children: it is also integrated within the educational team and between Foundation departments. Educators meet regularly to share observations, evaluate children's proposals, and reflect together on possible daily adjustments. This collaborative dynamic extends Foundation-wide through spaces like the "Kanner a Jugend-Parlament", which brings together representatives from each living group and age range. These consultation times allow children and young people to make their voices heard, actively participate in decisions concerning them, and develop a real sense of responsibility. Additionally, representatives play an important role as they represent their living group. This allows them to develop key skills such as collective representation, awareness of living together, and expanded sense of responsibility. Devices like child and youth protection delegates also offer children a secure space to express concerns or request help confidentially. Transversality is at the heart of our approach: pedagogical, school, therapeutic, and administrative teams work closely together around children's needs, valuing their voice. Some projects are conducted in connection with other services—whether activities, celebrations, or workshops—and children are involved from the reflection phase, thus strengthening their commitment and sense of belonging.

STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION THROUGH TRAINING
In our structures, participation is supported at the level of continuous training and regular supervisions, which allow educators to develop skills in active listening, co-construction with young people, and participatory living framework management. Training modules are offered around themes such as children's rights and benevolent communication. These trainings provide concrete tools to promote children's expression and strengthen their involvement in decisions. Additionally, team supervisions allow taking a step back from professional practices, sharing participation-related experiences, and adjusting educational postures. This is an essential space to maintain team coherence and sustainable commitment to this participatory approach. Case supervision, moreover, allows in-depth analysis of concrete educational situations encountered in daily living group life. These exchange times offer a protected space to ask questions, confront viewpoints, and explore adapted support options. They foster individual and collective perspective-taking, support ethical reflection, and strengthen the quality of our professional posture in young people's support.

PERSPECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE

STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION WITHIN LIVING GROUPS
In a logic of evolution and continuous improvement, a wish would be to further strengthen children's and adolescents' participation within the living group. For this, educational teams must continually update, reinvent, or adapt tools accessible to all ages. The goal is to maintain a coherent, living participatory dynamic adapted to evolving needs within different living groups. Educators must also diversify participation forms to gather each young person's feelings according to their abilities, wishes, and pace.

ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLECTIVE DYNAMICS
From a collective and evolutionary perspective, the will is also to encourage children to be proactive in group projects. This can take the form of initiatives directly introduced by young people, such as organising events, outings, or proposing ideas, wishes, or workshops to implement. This allows children and young people to be actors and project carriers, aiming to develop their confidence, creativity, and teamwork ability while anchoring their involvement in a meaningful collective framework. Educational support will remain present at every stage, providing backing to ensure feasibility, secure framework, and recognition of each one's skills. Projects will also contribute to strengthening living group cohesion and children's and adolescents' autonomy within a structuring and caring framework.