OPEJ:
championing childhood through protection, prevention and support
Putting children first
OPEJ Baron Edmond de Rothschild Foundation has been active in child protection since 1945. Its mission today is to protect, listen to, and help children, adolescents, and young people in difficulty, as well as their families, from all backgrounds.
It cares for children and young people in the Paris region who are threatened by abuse or neglect, combats discrimination and violence, and promotes integration, citizenship, and diverse identities.
Many countries are dealing with the reality and consequences of a growing number of its children being taken into care. Resources are lacking, not least in falling caregiver numbers, to adequately help them and ensure that they are not disadvantaged by this situation.
Children who experience a disrupted family life can struggle to thrive later in life.
Not a small problem
At the end of 2019, about 312,500 minors in France were within the child protection system, a 1.6% increase from 2018. Why are so many children being taken into care? Essentially, it’s a result of them being deemed not safe at home, due to neglect or abuse.
Once in the care system, there may be additional challenges if, for example, they are placed in mixed-age housing, or those children who have special needs are unable to receive the extra support they require.
Importantly, while the demand for child protection is increasing, there has also been a recent shift in some countries towards individualized support in child protection, focusing on each family’s potential and maintaining the parent-child bond to counteract excessive institutionalization. The French 2002 Social and Medical-Social Renovation Act emphasizes the essential role of parents, while in 2023, the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, wrote “there needs to be a relentless focus on intervening earlier and better to support children to stay with their families.”
Rooted in humanistic values
Founded in 1945 as OPEJ (Oeuvre de Protection des Enfants Juifs, Jewish Children’s Protection Organization), and rooted in Jewish culture and humanistic values, its main goal was to protect children whose parents had been deported. It was recognized as a public service in 1957 by the French authorities, and at that time the Board of Directors expanded its remit of protection to include all children who needed it.
When a building that had been used by OPEJ as a children’s home was taken over by the local council in 1968, Baron Edmond de Rothschild provided the Château de Maubuisson, to the north of Paris, in its place. He went on to became the administrator of OPEJ, and later its president, creating a strong, lasting bond with the family.
In 2012, it become the OPEJ Baron Edmond de Rothschild Foundation.
“When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children. All adults should do what is best for children.”
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – children’s version
An evolving remit
As times have changed, so has OPEJ, although its three-pronged mission of protect, prevent and support has remained consistent.
In terms of protection, the organization has expanded from sheltering parentless children to also providing supportive and preventive services. In 2022, it worked with 2,556 children and adolescents and 1,088 families, and over 200 professionals across 11 services, including children’s homes, open educational services, family mediation, and daycare services.
OPEJ’s specialized prevention services are available in its three locations, to support young people aged between 11 and 25 in employment, integration, schooling, justice, health, housing, and access to rights. The teams develop tools to address professional integration, school dropout, delinquency, and radicalization and other and risky behaviors.
Support services at OPEJ include daily family support and educational follow-up for children aged 2 to 17 and their parents, a dedicated space for families to use during crises, conflicts or periods of doubt, and a specific place for young people aged 12 to 25.
“It was in Maubuisson that I was happy. People were like me. We had the forest. We were always in the trees. We dressed as we liked. It was the good life.”
Myriam S. (Maubuisson Children’s Home, 1971-1979)
“There was great respect for each other’s stories. Our self-esteem was restored.”
Orly O. (Rueil-Malmaisom Children’s Home, 1962-1973)
Continuing to impact lives
By the time it marked its 70th anniversary, OPEJ had cared for nearly 10,000 children, and impacted countless other lives. As it approaches its next big milestone in 2025, it should also be recognized for its ability to adapt and evolve through the times in seeking solutions to help vulnerable young people.
“The best interests of the child guide our commitment and our action. The child, the young person and the family are welcomed in a spirit of tolerance and respect.”
Our values, OPEJ
Find more information about the ongoing work of OPEJ and its important history here. And be inspired even more here, where you’ll discover the journey of HFAR, which started as a free ophthalmological hospital, continued by specializing in head and neck care, and has now added the fight against myopia to its scope.