Assunta Gallo News Today

Quebec youth protection personnel processed 135,839 reports in 2022-23 regarding children up to age 17, amounting to one in 10 Quebec children, and the proportion is similar in Montreal, says

Montreal's youth protection services got more calls in 2022-2023 than the previous year, but most are not retained. Families are in distress, but youth protection should be the last resort, not the frontline, says youth protection director.

In 2022-2023, the directors of Quebecs youth protection departments handled 135,839 reports, which they consider very worrying. In other words, almost 1 in 10 young people aged 0 to 17 were the subject of a report.

After hearing from several Montreal parents having problems with Quebec's youth protection authorities, a Haitian community group stepped in to help.

An average of 363 situations involving children are reported to youth protection each day in Quebec, the DPJs annual report shows.

Quebec youth protection services received 132,632 reports during 2021-2022 — a 12.5 per cent increase since last year.

Montreals youth protection services are seeking dozens of new foster families to meet a rising demand.