This is a figure to read while taking your time, to be sure to understand its full significance: there were 135,839 reports to the Department of Youth Protection (DPJ) in Quebec for the year 2022. -2023.
This represents approximately one report for every ten children across the province. It is both shocking and heartbreaking.
This is proof that too many young people – and families – are in bad shape.
It is also proof of the failure of the system, which fails to alleviate all the distress we face.
And it is finally proof that the abuse and mistreatment suffered by our young people is not yet recognized in Quebec as a serious enough social problem.
The Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, is moving in the right direction. In the field, we are told that he is committed to the fate of young people, accessible and attentive to the concerns of the various players in the community.
Despite all his good will, however, the situation continues to deteriorate.
So it is clear that he is not going fast enough, not far enough, and not fighting hard enough to change things.
There are many problems that overwhelm the DPJ.
During the recent press conference held to present the annual report of the directors of youth protection, we learned that 31 evaluation and orientation workers were missing out of 101 at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de -Island of Montreal.
However, these stakeholders (particularly social workers and psychoeducators) play a fundamental role. Their teams form the gateway to the DPJ.
The situation is even worse for the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’île-de-Montréal. “Out of 39, I just have 20 full. 19 are missing, half of my team, ”explained director of youth protection Linda See.
There is a causal link between the record number of reports, this shortage of workers and the growing waiting list for assessment in the metropolitan area. And it’s a safe bet that the portrait is essentially the same elsewhere in Quebec.
The Special Commission on Children’s Rights and Youth Protection, led by Régine Laurent, produced an inspiring report two years ago. In particular, it called on the government to review the work of the interveners and to offer them better support. The steps on this subject are stalling.
We are trying to reorganize the work, it seems. Without much success in attracting or retaining staff, obviously. How is it, in particular, that we cannot yet authorize a greater number of professionals to carry out assessments – such as holders of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology?
What about, moreover, the creation of a post of commissioner for the well-being and rights of children, recommended by the Laurent commission?
The CAQ’s record with respect to the DYP, despite some undeniable progress, is not brilliant.
It would be wrong to analyze the problems of the DPJ in isolation.
It is a mirror in which we see the reflection – not always very glorious – of our society.
It is upstream that we must intervene to reduce the number of reports. We must prevent rather than cure, as much as possible.
To paraphrase Christian Dubé, one must shaker the columns of the whole system.
According to experts, it is urgent, among other things, to create more places in CPEs, to offer many more services for students with special needs in our schools and to provide more affordable housing for families.
In short, if the CAQ government really wants to help the most vulnerable young people, it will have to stop settling for half measures. The time has come to go further, faster, stronger.