Closed due to a lack of educators, the Vaudois home for troubled adolescents will reopen – rts.ch

Guest of La Matinale on Tuesday, Philippe Stephan, doctor specializing in adolescent psychiatry, who worked for a long time with the MDJ Inter Val home before it closed, is delighted with its reopening, and especially its new educational concept.

Until its closure in 2023, the center, which welcomed young people most of the time in complete rupture with their environment, did not hesitate to lock adolescents in their rooms, explains Philippe Stephan. This was explained by a “rather special period” where the management of adolescents in crisis required strict measures, because “for a certain time, adolescents had no other place to be stopped in their drift, often destructive” .

Palette of possibilities

But the creation of new establishments, such as the juvenile detention establishment “Aux Léchaires” in Palézieux in 2013, and the opening of a closed center focused on care now allow more appropriate care for young people. Today, “there is a range of houses and possibilities to better protect adolescents from their own behavior”, welcomes the psychiatrist, insisting on the fact that Valmont must be “a time out, not a shelter.” stop”.

Even if the rooms will no longer be locked, the common areas will still be. “Sometimes, there is a kind of relational inflation among adolescents in crisis, and the fact that certain spaces are closed prevents them from confronting others,” explains Philippe Stephan. “Being facing a wall reduces tension,” he adds.

Some adolescents may perceive their time at Valmont as rewarding, seeing it as a form of pride or a “medal”. However, Philippe Stephan emphasizes that the majority of them do not return home, thus confirming the effectiveness of the work carried out.

Timeliness of support

Concerning the duration of placements, Philippe Stephan believes that in Valmont, stays must remain temporary. However, in other homes, stays may be longer, which is often necessary. “Adolescence is a period where temporality changes a lot, and our society is moving faster and faster,” he observes. The pressure to reduce the length of stays is constant, but he recalls the importance of “giving these young people more time”.

Despite the difficulties inherent in managing adolescents in crisis, Philippe Stephan remains convinced that the Valmont center plays a crucial role in their protection and development. Contrary to what can happen in some adult prisons, he affirms that “young people do not come out worse than they entered”.