Child abuse: “We have failed,” laments Camil Bouchard

This is the opinion of psychologist Camil Bouchard, author of Un Québec fou de ses enfants, a shocking report which, in 1991, proposed 53 recommendations to prevent distress in children and young people.

Child abuse must become a "priority public health issue" and we must put an end to "this collective denial" that is ours, said Mr. Bouchard Tuesday afternoon in his testimony to the Special Commission on Children's Rights and Youth Protection.

"We failed to provide our children with environments that could have ensured their safety well before they were reported [to the DPJ]," regrets Mr. Bouchard.

Quebec is capable of great things and over the last few decades, it has implemented measures that many countries envy, recalled Mr. Bouchard, citing as examples reduced-cost childcare services, automatic collection of alimony, the parental insurance plan, paternity leave, etc.

Poverty has been reduced, school dropout rates have been reduced. Much has also been done for children aged 0 to 5.

"We are not completely powerless," Mr. Bouchard recalled.

However, with the number of new reports to the DPJ, "we would be able to fill five full school buses every day."

And children are not equally protected everywhere. On the North Shore and in Gaspésie, the DPJs are particularly besieged, explained Mr. Bouchard.

In some areas, the distances to be covered are enormous and too many children from remote places are left behind. In these areas, it takes a lot of creativity to reach the children.

And everywhere in Quebec, “we must act in an intense, rigorous, sustained manner” with families at risk.

Figures that are exploding, as is the case with reports to the DPJ, "would we tolerate this in another area of ​​health? For measles? Tuberculosis?"

Again, Mr. Bouchard is not entirely gloomy. He talks about the extent to which the Côte-Nord is tackling the problem head on, and the extent to which its municipal officials are mobilizing to improve things.

Mr. Bouchard hopes for citizen mobilization throughout Quebec and for the current government to improve front-line services.

See the article: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2019-11-26/maltraitance-d-enfants-nous-avons-echoue-deplore-camil-bouchard