A mother filed a complaint against the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DYP), which dragged its heels in recognizing that she was a victim of spousal violence.
The freshly hired caseworker was not trained to intervene in such a situation. She had misunderstood the context, even if the mother said she was afraid for her and her child’s safety. Among other requirements, she asked the mother to meet with her ex-spouse in person. In cases of spousal violence, this is precisely the type of meeting that must be avoided.
After the Protecteur du citoyen intervened, the caseworker was given full training in the subject. The Protecteur du citoyen also reminded the DYP that its caseworkers must not only be well trained, but also well supervised.
To learn more about this real-life case, see our 2022-2023 Annual Report (in French).
The Protecteur du citoyen ensures that your rights are upheld in your dealings with Québec public services. Are you dissatisfied with the services of a Government of Québec department or agency? Or with those of a health and social services network institution (2nd level of recourse)? File a complaint by calling 1-800-463-5070 or using our online complaint form.
