The Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights announced Thursday that it has opened a systemic investigation into the impact of waiting times on the evaluation and application of measures in the cases of children whose the situation is handled by the Youth Protection Directorate (DPJ).
In a press release, the Commission explains that holding this investigation throughout Quebec arises from its own initiative and that it is motivated by recurring and chronic problems that have been observed.
The vice-president of the Commission responsible for the youth mandate, Suzanne Arpin, specifies that the organization observed numerous problems during its individual investigations and issues raised by judges in the context of orders infringing rights.
The Commission says it has documented the issue of waiting times for children whose reports the DYP has retained and has noted that the situation seems to have worsened. The survey conducted across Quebec will, she believes, make it possible to recommend systemic solutions for the well-being of the most vulnerable children.
The Commission’s investigation will focus on the times of two waiting lists, namely the wait before a report is evaluated by the DPJ and the wait before receiving services once the security and development of the child are considered compromised, a stage commonly called the application of measures.
The Commission invites anyone who believes that the rights of a child whose situation is taken care of by the DYP are being violated to contact it.
The progress of the investigation is not public, but once it is completed, the Commission may make the systemic recommendations of the investigation public.