Quebec youth protection workers demanding support to prevent another child from being lost
Posted December 8, 2022 5:40 pm.
Last Updated December 8, 2022 6:49 pm.
Quebec youth protection workers gathered in Montreal on Thursday demanding government action.
The plea comes over a year since the Laurent Commission presented its report investigating youth protection services in Quebec.
The inquiry was launched after the murder of a young Granby girl at the hands of her father and stepmother – who had been followed by youth protection services.
Intervention workers say the recommendations haven’t been implemented, they’re overworked and understaffed, as the waitlist for kids in need continues to grow.
“We’re on survival mode. I don’t think a lot of people are doing very well right now,” explained Patrick Beauregard, Montreal social worker in youth protection.
Caroline Letarte-Simoneau, national representative of APTS (Quebec social services) of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal adding, “We need more than just words, we need concrete actions.”
Since the Granby girl’s death in 2019 – promises of ‘never again’ were shoutout by leaders, but the union representing youth protection workers says they feel worse off.
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Despite the Commission Laurent recommending lighter workloads and increased support for those on the front lines, the words paranoia and intense fear were used to describe how many employees feel, as they worry their heavy workload could cause them to lose a child on their watch.
“There’s so much work overload you have to prioritize the emergencies through all the emergencies so that’s quite an issue and it follows them in their personal life to the extent where some people quit some people think of going on sick leave,” said Letarte-Simoneau.
Beauregard adding, “Some people left because the youth protection is too difficult to deal with on a day to day so we have to take their work on our shoulders and it’s getting harder and harder since that time.”
Currently, the average wait time for a file to be assessed in Montreal is 78 days – which is double the provincial average.
Workers are asking for mental health days, easier access to mental health services, more schedule flexibility, reduced workload and more staff — given the difficult nature of the job and the increase in reports since the pandemic.
“We are still like thinking about what happened in those families we know we’re not enough counselors to help all those families that need help there’s like 482 cases waiting to be evaluated and we have that always on our mind,” explained Beauregard.
“Save those kids and try to help families benign better parents and be sure that children can grow up in a protected way and its ways like a big wave of insecurities.”
