An increase in reports "never seen"
No less than 540 children were on a waiting list to be evaluated in Montreal as of July 9,
according to the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montreal.
An unprecedented number of vulnerable children are waiting to be taken care of by the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ) of Montreal. The end of confinement has caused the number of reports to explode, and the responders - already at the end of their rope - must work harder to deal with the emergency.
according to the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montreal.
An unprecedented number of vulnerable children are waiting to be taken care of by the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ) of Montreal. The end of confinement has caused the number of reports to explode, and the responders - already at the end of their rope - must work harder to deal with the emergency.
Deconfinement, family reunions, separations, return of teachers, daycare centers, amplification of the difficulties due to COVID-19: there are probably many factors involved to explain this worrying increase in the number of reports to the DPJ over the years. last months.
What is certain, however, is that 540 children were on a waiting list to be evaluated in Montreal as of July 9, according to data compiled by the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l'Île- de-Montréal, responsible for the services of the DPJ. “Never seen before”,
according to Jocelyne Boudreault, press attaché for the CIUSSS.
The number of children waiting would have even reached 563 in Montreal, adds Patrick Beauregard, union representative of the workers of the CIUSSS. Anyone who has worked at the DPJ for 15 years is just as astonished:
The highest I had seen [in Montreal] was 200 to 225 children waiting.
Patrick Beauregard, union representative of CIUSSS workers
The less urgent reports are on the waiting list, i.e. codes 3 (the most urgent being classified as code 1), which should normally be evaluated in three days. These include situations of neglect, drug addiction or dropping out of school, but they can also cover up more serious cases of sexual or physical abuse, or dropout. "You will understand that at the moment, there are codes 3 which are more than three days old," laments Patrick Beauregard.
Elsewhere in QuebecThe increase in reports to the DPJ was noted elsewhere in Quebec, particularly in the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Center-du-Québec, which received 533 more reports than in the same period last year. The Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean DYP observed an increase in reports of 19% from 2020 to 2021.
What is certain, however, is that 540 children were on a waiting list to be evaluated in Montreal as of July 9, according to data compiled by the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l'Île- de-Montréal, responsible for the services of the DPJ. “Never seen before”,
according to Jocelyne Boudreault, press attaché for the CIUSSS.
The number of children waiting would have even reached 563 in Montreal, adds Patrick Beauregard, union representative of the workers of the CIUSSS. Anyone who has worked at the DPJ for 15 years is just as astonished:
The highest I had seen [in Montreal] was 200 to 225 children waiting.
Patrick Beauregard, union representative of CIUSSS workers
The less urgent reports are on the waiting list, i.e. codes 3 (the most urgent being classified as code 1), which should normally be evaluated in three days. These include situations of neglect, drug addiction or dropping out of school, but they can also cover up more serious cases of sexual or physical abuse, or dropout. "You will understand that at the moment, there are codes 3 which are more than three days old," laments Patrick Beauregard.
Elsewhere in QuebecThe increase in reports to the DPJ was noted elsewhere in Quebec, particularly in the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Center-du-Québec, which received 533 more reports than in the same period last year. The Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean DYP observed an increase in reports of 19% from 2020 to 2021.
"We have also had a significant number of reports this year and, as a result, we note a certain increase in the number of cases awaiting evaluation in comparison to recent years", indicated by email Catherine Domingue, digital communications advisor at CISSS of Montérégie-Est.
"Explosive files"During confinement, family difficulties intensified, hidden behind the walls. “Now, when we show up at home, the cases are really more explosive, because the situations have been going on for a while and they have been exacerbated by the confinement, explains Patrick Beauregard. There were fewer eyes to see these children. "
We have seen families who previously had no problems, and the pandemic has completely weakened them.
Patrick Beauregard
Tonino Esposito, professor at the School of Social Work of the University of Montreal, also observes that "the vulnerability and chronicity [of the difficulties which endure] of the families could only increase during the pandemic and that we begin just to see the consequences ”.
Blitz to reduce the waiting listAlong with the increase in the distress of families, the DPJ is sorely lacking in staff. Last December, 55 positions were vacant in the youth protection services of Montreal, according to the union representative. "Faced with the staff shortage and our difficulty in filling our positions despite our best efforts, we had to find solutions that went beyond the usual framework," said Jocelyne Boudreault.
The solution: set up a blitz from July 15 to September 15. Bonuses are granted to stakeholders who choose to invest, such as additional vacation days and the possibility of winning a gift card worth $ 200. The operation, funded from vacant positions, has already enabled the assessment of 66 cases. “These are exceptional measures for an exceptional situation that must absolutely be resolved, for the safety and well-being of the children and adolescents concerned,” adds Jocelyne Boudreault.
This way of working raises ethical issues, believes Patrick Beauregard, however.
When we go to families, people are often suspicious, because they believe that we have a placement bonus. There is also a risk of competition between colleagues which could be a bit unhealthy.
Patrick Beauregard
"What I regret is that it is done unilaterally, without any consultation - I am thinking of the union side and the people on the ground", remarks Émilie Charbonneau, vice-president of the Alliance du personnel professionnel and technical health and social services, which represents 60,000 members in Quebec.
Note that a decree of the Government of Quebec, dated July 30, announced that employees of the child welfare services could receive up to $ 1,000 bonus from 1 st August, they worked full time four consecutive weeks. "He uses the health emergency to solve a problem of attraction and retention in youth centers which was there long before the pandemic," says Émilie Charbonneau. When the health emergency is going to be over, what are we going to do? "
"Explosive files"During confinement, family difficulties intensified, hidden behind the walls. “Now, when we show up at home, the cases are really more explosive, because the situations have been going on for a while and they have been exacerbated by the confinement, explains Patrick Beauregard. There were fewer eyes to see these children. "
We have seen families who previously had no problems, and the pandemic has completely weakened them.
Patrick Beauregard
Tonino Esposito, professor at the School of Social Work of the University of Montreal, also observes that "the vulnerability and chronicity [of the difficulties which endure] of the families could only increase during the pandemic and that we begin just to see the consequences ”.
Blitz to reduce the waiting listAlong with the increase in the distress of families, the DPJ is sorely lacking in staff. Last December, 55 positions were vacant in the youth protection services of Montreal, according to the union representative. "Faced with the staff shortage and our difficulty in filling our positions despite our best efforts, we had to find solutions that went beyond the usual framework," said Jocelyne Boudreault.
The solution: set up a blitz from July 15 to September 15. Bonuses are granted to stakeholders who choose to invest, such as additional vacation days and the possibility of winning a gift card worth $ 200. The operation, funded from vacant positions, has already enabled the assessment of 66 cases. “These are exceptional measures for an exceptional situation that must absolutely be resolved, for the safety and well-being of the children and adolescents concerned,” adds Jocelyne Boudreault.
This way of working raises ethical issues, believes Patrick Beauregard, however.
When we go to families, people are often suspicious, because they believe that we have a placement bonus. There is also a risk of competition between colleagues which could be a bit unhealthy.
Patrick Beauregard
"What I regret is that it is done unilaterally, without any consultation - I am thinking of the union side and the people on the ground", remarks Émilie Charbonneau, vice-president of the Alliance du personnel professionnel and technical health and social services, which represents 60,000 members in Quebec.
Note that a decree of the Government of Quebec, dated July 30, announced that employees of the child welfare services could receive up to $ 1,000 bonus from 1 st August, they worked full time four consecutive weeks. "He uses the health emergency to solve a problem of attraction and retention in youth centers which was there long before the pandemic," says Émilie Charbonneau. When the health emergency is going to be over, what are we going to do? "
LILA DUSSAULT
PRESS
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2021-08-04/dpj-de-montreal/une-hausse-de-signalements-jamais-vue.php
PRESS
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2021-08-04/dpj-de-montreal/une-hausse-de-signalements-jamais-vue.php
