WARNING: This article contains sensitive details The Quebec coroner is investigating the deaths of the three children who died, all in the same month, under the care of Batshaw Youth and Family Centre, the province’s anglophone youth protection agency. A current employee at Batshaw Youth and Family Centre told CTV News that they were aware of the deaths before they became public in recent media reporting. CTV News agreed not to identify the employee for their protection. Two of these deaths were first reported in the Montreal Gazette on Thursday, and one was reported in La Presse on March 25. The employee has also told CTV News, based on conversations among other employees, that they believe two other deaths occurred recently as well that have not yet become public. “It’s a small world, so everyone talks and is quite aware of what is happening in the system,” the Batshaw employee told CTV News in a phone interview. “Where there’s smoke, there is fire.” 3 children dead in same month Although Quebec’s coroner would not provide details on the deaths, the Batshaw employee confirmed previous media reports. On March 3, a 16-year-old girl died by suicide while in Batshaw’s custody at its Prévost campus on the North Shore of Montreal. She was removed from her family home under the youth protection mandate and was under its care for years. After being supervised in a locked unit alongside young offenders following previous suicide attempts, she was taken off 24-hour care after a phone interview with a psychologist. Two weeks later, a 17-year-old boy also died by suicide while on the Batshaw waitlist. On March 31, a four-year-old girl, whose household was under the supervision of Batshaw, died. Her sibling in the same household also died under the youth protection’s care. According to the current employee, she was assigned a caseworker, but that person switched departments, placing the girl back on a waitlist. She hadn’t been followed up with in months. The Batshaw employee told CTV News she had signs of abuse and malnutrition. “We had a legal mandate to protect her. It’s not that we needed to assess to determine risk; we had determined there was a risk, there were court orders. This is neglect,” the Batshaw employee told CTV News. “She wasn’t followed up on not because anyone didn’t think it was important. There just isn’t enough staff to go out and assess, and if you keep piling up the cases for these workers, they’re going to leave, and that’s what they do.” ‘Tragedies should have been prevented’ Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, health and social services spokesperson for Québec solidaire, said in a statement that what occurred was extremely worrying and unacceptable. “These tragedies should have been prevented. They reveal the direct consequences of cuts and the glaring shortage of qualified staff within the youth protection system, in both the English-speaking and French-speaking communities,” the statement said. Cliche-Rivard called on Lionel Carmant, the minister responsible for social services and the fight against homelessness, for answers. “How could he have left Batshaw with so few resources, to the point where vulnerable children spend months without receiving the services to which they were entitled?” Cliche-Rivard wrote. “Urgent measures must be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the children who are still in the care of this youth centre. I also call on the Commissioner for Children’s Well-being and Rights and the CDPDJ to take immediate action on this matter, to get to the bottom of it and to demand the necessary corrective measures.” Carmant would not comment to CTV News. Measures underway following deaths Lesley Hill, national director of youth protection in Quebec, wrote in a statement that the situation deeply saddens her. “I can assure you that each of these situations has been thoroughly reviewed by the facility’s relevant authorities, pending the results of the coroner’s investigations,” she wrote. “Every child’s death remains a tragic event. Given that these investigations are ongoing, I will not comment on individual cases.” According to Hill, the National Youth Protection Directorate (DNPJ) has implemented a series of measures following the incident. Meetings also occurred among several ministries in Quebec to discuss efforts to address required monitoring for youth, Hill said. Santé Québec Ouest-de l’Île- de-Montréal - Universitaire told CTV News they cannot comment on individual situations or specific cases due to privacy rules. “Every death involving a child or youth is a deeply tragic event,” a spokesperson said. “However, it is important to exercise caution in interpreting and presenting data, as the circumstances surrounding each death must be examined on a case-by-case basis.” Santé Québec says when a case is brought to them, it undergoes analysis and follow-up, and measures are implemented when necessary in collaboration with relevant authorities. “We also remain committed to an ongoing process of evaluating and improving our interventions with youth and families,” Santé Québec told CTV News. “Over the years, the challenges faced by youth and their families have become more complex. Despite this increased pressure, our organization continues its efforts to improve access to services, reduce wait times, and support frontline workers.” Longstanding issue The Batshaw employee told CTV News that they have seen multiple cases that stay on a waiting list for up to a year. But they say employee recruitment, retention, budget cuts and persistent demand are part of a longstanding issue at youth protection services. The union that oversees workers at Batshaw, Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux, said in a statement to CTV News that more resources are needed to protect children better. “We cannot ignore the reality that Batshaw is facing severe staffing shortages while caseloads continue to rise. Our members are stretched to the limit, and it is clear that youth protection services in the West Island need more resources and support to fulfill their mission,” the statement said. “I know these tragedies are also deeply painful for the youth protection workers who dedicated themselves to helping these children and their families.” In 2019, a class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of children who suffered abuse while under government care. The lawsuit, which was authorized at the end of 2022, includes people who were placed, on or after Oct. 1, 1950, in a centre as per a youth protection law. The lawsuit, which names more than 70 centres, came after a seven-year-old girl from Granby, Que., whose death in Quebec prompted reforms into the youth protection system. “It is very unfortunate what happened, but this isn’t new. The youth protection system in Quebec is a very convoluted system, with a number of waiting lists from different departments,” said the worker. “It’s not about placing blame. It’s a collective responsibility. When a pipe has a leak, you can patch it. But when it has multiple leaks and holes, you need to toss it out and rebuild from the ground up.” If you or someone you know is in crisis, here are some resources that are available. If you need immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
