The Directors of Youth Protection of Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire and Batshaw Youth and Family Centres welcome the verdict in the Shafia trial

MONTREAL, Jan. 31, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Directors of Youth Protection of Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) and Batshaw Youth and Family Centres (BYFC) welcome the verdict in the Shafia trial. "A tragedy beyond belief occurred on June 30, 2009. An unprecedented event has shaken the paradigms of youth protection work. Our thoughts are with the four victims and the surviving siblings who, after losing four members of their family, now suffer the blow of their parents and older brother being found guilty," said Mrs. Michelle Dionne and Madeleine Bérard, Directors of Youth Protection (DYP) at CJM-IU and BYFC, respectively.

On a daily basis, approximately 7,500 children, youth and families receive services from the CJM-IU or BYFC under the Youth Protection Act (YPA). Of these, nearly 50% were from identifiable minority cultural communities. "We must enforce the law taking into account a plurality of families with deeply troubled backgrounds and different cultural references. This presents us with the challenge, today and in the future, of weighing each situation in terms of risk and strengths in order to make a decision in the best interests of the child. This is not an easy task since we need to avoid being excessively rigid to compensate with all eventualities. When our objective is to build new alliances with the family in whose environment we operate, we must be aware that our intervention can cause a cultural shock and it is sometimes difficult to reconcile opposing views, when our intent is to establish a trusting relationship and mobilize the families", they added.

As part of the progress made in recent years, the implementation of a provincial registry allows all DYP to access a history of reports made about a child. In addition, a new provincial standard has been put in place which clarifies for what reasons - a consultation or a report - the person calls on the DYP. This addresses any ambiguity about what follow-up actions are required. Furthermore, we have reinforced the importance of taking all possible measures in situations where an intervention takes place in an ethnocultural environment.

"As institutions responsible for protecting children, we will denounce all forms of violence against them. No reason can justify it. Our interventions are meant to protect them. For that purpose, our credibility must be flawless. We can not insist enough on the importance of acting together as a society to protect our children. A situation such as this one calls upon us to show much humility and self-criticism," Mrs. Dionne and Bérard conclude.

Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) and Batshaw Youth and Family Centres (BYFC) provide services to children, youth and families experiencing difficulties under the Youth Protection Act (YPA), the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and the Health Services and Social Services Act (HSSSA). Services are provided directly in the community or in a residential environment.

Sources:
Centre jeunesse de Montréal-Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) and Batshaw Youth and Family Centres (BYFC)

Information:

French-language media
Jocelyne Boudreault
Information Agent
Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire
514-593-3979 / 514-209-9943
www.centrejeunessedemontreal.qc.ca

English-language media
Claire Roy
Manager, Communications and Public Relations
Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
514-989-1885, ext. 1017
www.batshaw.qc.ca