News

Longueuil – Having looked at the Director of Youth Protection’s 2025 evaluation report, the APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) notes that efforts on the ground are still not sufficient to meet the pressing needs of the health and social services system, although the report does attempt to shed light on some problems.

“Our members are exhausted, and they’ve been waiting for far too long for concrete measures that will lighten their workload and improve their conditions of practice,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “That said, Lesley Hill’s arrival as provincial director of youth protection is an opportunity to improve the situation. We truly hope that her mandate will make it possible to create more fluid, transparent and constructive communications between people on the ground and decision-making bodies. It’s time to build solid bridges between our teams and upper management – this will benefit both young people and those who accompany them.”

The APTS is critical of the fact that working conditions are still a major concern in some regions, with hundreds of positions left unfilled, a heavy administrative burden, and a severe lack of resources. This means a more fragile ability to support young people, especially in cases involving family violence or the transition to adulthood.

Our youth workers, too often singled out for blame, save lives and prevent tragedies on a daily basis. Despite their commitment, they face repeated budget cuts, constant work overload, and deteriorating working conditions. All of these have a negative impact on services.

When prevention is cut, more children are exposed to risk, and reports to youth protection increase. Despite good intentions, it’s obvious that the tools to take concrete steps are missing. The APTS argues that in youth protection, the time has come to dare to act.

Beyond structural issues, two disturbing phenomena are on the rise: online bullying, and threats addressed to youth workers employed in youth centres.

“We strongly condemn the increase in actions taken to intimidate our members,” said Sébastien Pitre, APTS treasurer and officer responsible for youth protection. “When someone decides to serve children and young people, that should never mean they’re exposed to fear or insecurity. Youth workers receive hate messages, they are targeted by veiled or explicit threats, and in some cases they are even personally attacked online. This toxic atmosphere adds an unbearable level of pressure to a job that is already very difficult on a daily basis, and undermines our teams’ ability to act. We demand clear and immediate measures to protect our members.”

The APTS once again pointed out the urgent need to implement recommendations directly intended to strengthen teams, to acknowledge the high value of professional expertise, and to ensure access to services. The youth protection mission as a whole will be in jeopardy until youth workers are given the support they need.

The APTS

The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents more than 68,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for all Quebecers, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.