DPJ: a father who fought for custody of his children is not surprised

The placing under supervision of the Department of Youth Protection (DPJ) of Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec is far from surprising families who have had to deal with the organization. According to a father who had to fight to regain custody of his children, a “change of direction” is necessary.

The man, now 45 years old, whose anonymity is preserved to protect his children, fought tooth and nail to deny false accusations which resulted in him being separated from his three children for a year .

He was accused without proof of having sexually assaulted his children, apparently the victim of identity theft on social networks.

In April 2021, Judge Yvan Cousineau severely blamed the DPJ in this file, maintaining in particular that the interveners had analyzed the file in a tunnel. To the rest of them, I was a pedophile and an abuserhe said.

The father of the family expected it and even hoped for guardianship so that a major clean-up could be done at the house. DPJ regional.

However, he fears that nothing will change, at least nothing important in the coming months, before fall into oblivion and they will continue as usualwhile he will never forget.

This father is not the only one to react this way. A family about to adopt a toddler in their care for two years spoke to Radio-Canada on condition of anonymity.

The family notes a large turnover of staff at the DPJ. In one year of proceedings, three different stakeholders worked on his file.

The interim president of the Federation of Host Families and Intermediate Resources of Quebec, Mélanie Gagnon, is also not surprised by Quebec’s decision.

His organization has been denouncing cases of violation of children’s rights for several years.

All kinds of reasons, according to her, led to a system that is failing. Notably poorly trained and unsupported workers.

We don’t train them and they have to make decisions for these children.

The 45-year-old believes that responders should receive more training.

The DPJin itself, the institution is good because it takes something to protect our childrenbut it is the lack of expertise that, according to him, causes injustices like the one he experienced.

A drama for families and children

The revelations that children were placed for adoption on the basis of false or incomplete information were deemed unacceptable by the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant.

Mélanie Gagnon also describes these revelations as catastrophes and of human dramasas much for the families as for the children whose rights have, according to her, been violated.

She explains that mixed-bank foster families want a child for life, who they can adopt.

Not only is trust in these families undermined, but many hearts will be broken due to the bad decisions of speakers from the DPJ.

It’s a tragedy that will reverberate for months and monthsdeplores Ms. Gagnon, because host families have already forged very close bonds with the children, which they will have to break.

The father affirms that he will remain forever marked by the episode he experienced.

I lost a year of my life with my children

Forced to see them for a maximum of three hours once a week, under supervision, he confides that a distance was inevitably created in his relationship with his children, against his will.

Lots of fears and uncertainties

Mélanie Gagnon feels helpless in the face of the concerns of families who do not know what will happen to the children they have been caring for for months or years.

I can listen to them, but I can’t tell them what’s going to happenshe adds.

The Federation and the host families will therefore have to rely on the decisions of the judges in the cases.

Mélanie Gagnon promises to support and accompany them, but we have no power. That’s what’s sad.

These children will be scarred for liferegrets the father of the family.

All Mélanie Gagnon wants is for the people who have the power to protect children to act in the children’s interests.