Dr. Caubel, specifically, delivered the keynote address: "This conference is an opportunity to discuss the significance of your commitment to the DBAS network and its specific characteristics, in the tradition of Don Bosco: the trust and bond that is created with each young person; the concern for comprehensive support; the right closeness and the necessary - and delicate - consideration of affectivity in the educational relationship; the child's projects..."
Then, he mentioned two important "building sites" regarding child protection: "The social and professional integration of young adults (I know you are working a lot on this issue) and I would like to thank you for that. It is no longer possible for one in four homeless people born in France to come from the realities of Child Welfare (ASE). It is a collective, and above all human, waste that is intolerable; at my request, the Prime Minister has made it a priority government policy."
The second "worksite" is that of "unaccompanied foreign minors: it is our collective duty to provide the best possible support and integration for these minors. You are taking charge of many of them (almost a thousand young people are currently hosted by the network, an important partner for public authorities, Ed.). The net increase in arrivals over last year represents a new challenge for our child protection systems. Let's make sure we deal with it while respecting our principles and avoiding controversy. They are minors and must be protected, especially at the end of journeys that have exposed them to exceptional danger," he added further.
Earlier in the morning, the Secretary of State had visited the "Œuvre Notre-Dame" (OND) social home for children in Troarn, whose Director, Philippe Val, on the occasion recalled it is "the oldest charitable organization in the department, recognized as being of public utility in 1859 by Empress Eugénie."
For her part, Dr. Caubel expressed on the occasion, "Welcoming young people as they are and encouraging their growth was one of Don Bosco's key principles. Thank you for your commitment to this network in favor of children, all our children, at every stage of their lives and in any situation."
With regard to the reality of the DBAS network, it has its own originality that lies in its federative nature, whereby each association maintains its own style of governance and its own peculiarities, both in terms of the size of the associations and the diversity of their missions, in the fields of prevention, child protection, judicial protection of youth, and socio-professional integration. But what makes it unique in the field of social work with troubled youth is its reference to Don Bosco's educational methods.
"We feel it is important to emphasize that even today it is possible to reconcile Christian inspiration with respect for secularism. Indeed, as St. John Paul II reminded us during his first visit to France (Bourget speech), do not republican values - Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité - have a Christian origin?" explained the network's coordinator, Fr. Jean-Marie Petitclerc, SDB.
"Contrary to what some people say," the Salesian continued, "secularism is the way in which the Republic guarantees fraternity by imposing respect for each person's religious beliefs and practices. This is the case with the institutes and services of the DBAS network. In our opinion, the concept of secularism is misused when its defenders believe that, in its name, all forms of spiritual and religious expression should be banned."
To safeguard the presence of Christian-inspired structures in the field of social action, DBAS is also working to build an ecumenical alliance that brings together the main church actors in this field. The alliance currently has six members, three Catholics (Apprentis d'Auteuil, DBAS, Prado) and three Protestants (Salvation Army, Foyers Matter, Salvert Network). It is an alliance whose goals are to deepen the meaning of Christian reference, enrich the practices of its members through exchanges, and carry out joint actions in the field of educator training.
Since its creation, the DBAS network has been growing as new associations have joined. "And in Caen this week, we were told that we must continue to increase and develop the network, its visibility and its resources," Fr. Petitclerc concludes.
