Quebec's child protection services seeing rising reports, retaining fewer cases

Quebec's child protection services are seeing a significant rise in reports, impacting more than 105,000 children across the province.

"That's a lot of children we're worried about," stated Marie-Josée Audette, the director of the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ) in the Montérégie region.

New annual statistics from the provincial DPJ released Thursday reveal a five per cent increase in reports for 2024-25, reaching a total of 141,600. 

Reports were retained for 35,264 children, Audette said. This represents less than a third of all reports received. About 40 per cent of children taken in by the DPJ remained in their family environment.

While more children are being flagged as at-risk, the percentage of cases officially retained by the DPJ is actually decreasing, raising questions about the system's capacity and broader support networks.

During a news conference in Quebec City, Lesley Hill, the DPJ's new director, acknowledged that youth protection issues are systemic. She mentioned having started her tour of Quebec regions, which allowed her to make observations on the ground.

"Unfortunately, some terrible things are happening to children. I was also able to gauge the extent of the challenges and the systemic issues we face," Hill said.

"When you're on the ground, you truly grasp the complexity of it all."

Hill also indicated in the report that a major transformation is needed to move toward more humane approaches in DPJ services.

"Many parents have confided in me their helplessness in navigating a system that seems cold and austere to them. Many young people have spoken to me about the importance of humanizing the system," she said.

Many children and families are only being reported to child protection services at a crisis point, she said, often without having received earlier support. Hill questions whether these critical situations could have been avoided if adequate preventative services had been in place.

In 2024-25, more than 10,000 teens received services under the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) — a 7.4 per cent increase from last year.

"In the YCJA, it's clearly demonstrated that early intervention upstream prevents delinquency," said Caroline Brown, director of the DPJ of Chaudière-Appalaches 

"The biggest predictors of delinquency: expulsion from school, isolation and neglect. The financial precariousness of families, the shortage of adequate housing, the psychological state of parents and children — these are all elements that require action."

She said the DPJ alone cannot meet all needs.

Michelle Frenette, director of the DPJ of Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, expressed concern over recent multi-million dollar budget cuts by the Coalition Avenir Québec government, which affect health, social services and education. 

She emphasized that these cuts have a major impact on young people, particularly in schools, influencing decisions like homeschooling, suspensions and expulsions. Frenette said the DPJ is actively working with the government to ensure essential measures for Quebec's children are not overlooked despite the financial constraints.

Nelson Pimentel, interim youth protection director at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, acknowledged the critical role of reports to the DPJ.

He emphasized that the focus shouldn't solely be on increasing reports, but rather on proactive investment in community partners and alternative solutions.

Pimentel highlighted a significant trend: while reports from the general public have remained stable, reports from other professionals, such as police departments, schools and other front-line services, have "skyrocketed."