“He was afraid to go to daycare”

In September 2023, Frédérique Gaudet saw her child change his behavior overnight after he joined the group of a new educator in the Montreal CPE he attended. An investigation by the youth protection department (DPJ) concluded that the child had experienced physical violence. But a year later, the Ministry of Family has not completed its investigation into this matter.

“How do we make sure our children are safe? », asks M^me Gaudet.

Like more than 3,800 parents, M^me Gaudet signed the petition submitted in November to the National Assembly by the organization Ma Place au travail to demand improvement in the quality of childcare environments in Quebec. In particular by revising the complaint process, which she considers “ineffective”.

Her son had never experienced any major difficulties at daycare. His evaluations in the 2-3 year old group spoke of a “very pleasant” child who “is interested in everything”. “It beautifies and makes my weeks pleasant,” even wrote his educator in a document dated June 2022 consulted by The Press.

But in September 2023, when he joins the 4-year-old group, his behavior changes completely. “We thought it was a reaction to change. But it was getting worse. He was afraid to go to daycare. He was crying,” said M.^me Gaudet.

A complaint to the Ministry of Family

Carine Ricci’s son attended the same group as M’s son^me Gaudet at the time of the events. She too saw her son’s behavior change overnight. “He didn’t want to go to daycare anymore. He had never done that before,” she said.

The two boys expressed the same fears to their mothers (who did not know each other at the time): they were afraid of taking a nap.

In November 2023, the psychological state of M’s son^me Gaudet degenerates. He begins to have major seizures. Leaving him at daycare becomes impossible. The boy says he is afraid of his teacher. That she is “yelling” at him, that she has already grabbed him very hard and that she is scaring him, says his mother.

M^me Gaudet files a complaint with the Ministry of Family and warns the CPE, which suspends the educator while it sheds light.

Educator transferred to another facility

At the beginning of January 2024, the management of the CPE disclosed to parents the results of its internal investigation, which concluded that the educator “did not act with the intention of harm” even if she used “outdated educational methods”, testifies M^me Ricci. The CPE announces that the educator will be moved to another of its facilities with supervision.

“I didn’t understand why she wasn’t fired,” says M.^me Ricci. We were also told that the decision was not unrelated to the staff shortage.” Statements corroborated by Catherine*, a mother who had also raised red flags to management about this educator.

The staff shortage is seriously affecting the early childhood network as 10,000 educators have left their profession in Quebec over the past three years, - recently revealed.

It is also in January 2024 that M^me Gaudet receives a letter from the Ministry of Families which mentions that an inspector went to the CPE in December and found nothing abnormal. “It sure is!” The educator was suspended! », deplores M^me Gaudet.

Shortly after, M^me Gaudet tries to integrate his son into a new daycare. He reacts strongly. His crisis is so violent that the DPJ is involved in the case. A police investigation is also launched to shed light on the attack that the child allegedly experienced in his first CPE.

The DPJ will ultimately conclude that the allegations of “physical abuse by a third party” are founded. But since the child is no longer directly threatened by the educator, we close the file. As of September 2024, the police investigation is complete and no charges are filed. All that remains is the investigation by the Ministry of Family.

More confusion

M^me Ricci laments that more than a year later, we still “do not know exactly what happened.” “The system is designed so that we know as little as possible,” she says.

M^me Gaudet emphasizes for her part that initially, when she reported the facts in November 2023, it did not seem to have been taken seriously, neither at the CPE nor at the Ministry of Family.

At the Ministry of Family, we explain by email that when there is a police investigation, “the Ministry must wait until it is completed before starting its investigation so as not to compromise police efforts and possible prosecutions”. Same thing when the DPJ is involved.

Since the police investigation was closed in September 2024, it was only then that the Ministry launched its investigation which “aims to verify whether there was in fact an inappropriate practice or attitude by a member of the personnel, as well as the management of the CPE on this subject.

The CPE concerned did not want to comment on the file. The Ministry of Family claims to have ensured from January 2024 that the targeted educator no longer held her position. “She has since been fired, so she has never been in the presence of the children again,” they say. An email sent to parents last summer, however, indicates that the educator “resigned for personal reasons.”

* Fictitious first name to protect identity, for fear of reprisals