I'll see you in court, mom

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by CRAIG SEGAL

Department of Youth Protection social workers in Montreal are referring a lot more of their cases to court, according to La Presse. The number of cases concerning a child's security and development referred to family court--instead of being managed by the DYP--jumped by 42% in January, 59% in February and 16% in March, compared to 1999.

"They go to court and it helps to decrease their caseload. It explains a big part of what's wrong. By going to court you don't even talk to the family," says Claude Boies of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. Boies blames DYP budget cuts of $25 million between 1995 and 1998 for the increase.

But the DYP says the increase is due to trends in society. "In the last few years, more cases have gone to court because many family situations are more difficult than before," says Andre Payette of the Association des centres jeunesses, which administers the DYP. Payette blames social factors like poverty, isolated families and loss of jobs.

None of the parties claims to have a definite answer for the increase. But provincial court judge Oscar d'Amours has demanded an explication from the DYP.