Consultation on rehabilitation services offered to young people

The National Director of Youth Protection and former Commissioner of the Special Commission on Children’s Rights and Youth Protection (CSDEPJ), Ms. Lesley Hill, met with young people, families and partners to obtain their opinion on rehabilitation services offered to young people with adjustment difficulties during the National youth protection consultation: young people, families and partners at the heart of rehabilitation.

The objective of the consultation was to develop a vision for the transformation of rehabilitation services and to supplement the findings made by the CSDEPJ in 2021.

I want to make sure that I give young people, their parents and partners a voice so that the work that is done meets their needs and marks a turning point for rehabilitation services in Québec.

Lesley Hill,
National Director of Youth Protection and former Commissioner of the CSDEPJ

To ensure that all the actors concerned were consulted, the process was divided into four parts:

• Part 1: Associations of young people who are or who have been placed
• Part 2: Care providers in institutions and the community who work with young people who have been placed under the Youth Protection Act
• Part 3: Committee of young people who have been placed in a rehabilitation centre for young people with adjustment difficulties (CRJDA)
• Part 4: Parents of young people who have been placed in a CRJDA

People who wanted to share their thoughts, recommendations and experiences with us were also able to do so through an online consultation.

Groups of young people and adults who have received youth protection services were mobilized in order to hear the point of view of people who have direct experience of these services.

Meetings took place on April 22 and 23, 2025. Testimonies were given and concrete suggestions made for improving rehabilitation services.

What do we take away from the exchanges with young people? (in French with English subtitles available)

Care providers who work in a rehabilitation centre for young people with adjustment difficulties (CRJDA) are at the centre of the experience shared by the young people living there. They play a key role in developing skills, establishing a safe relationship and environment, supporting processes and providing personalized and group follow-up. Since their role has changed a lot in recent years, they have a central place in the revision of rehabilitation practices because they are at the heart of the implementation of these changes.

Resources in the network that support young people and families before, during or after a placement episode, in particular community organizations, have an external and complementary view of rehabilitation services. They are part of the social safety net in the management of risk for vulnerable clients. Their voice is essential to the development of collaborative and complementary services.

In-person and virtual meetings took place between March 24 and April 10, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau, Longueuil and Laval.

These committees are mandated to defend the interests of young people and promote their participation in community life. They give young people the opportunity to make their voices heard, defend their rights and improve their living environment. Their current experience in CRJDAs was essential to the consultation.

In-person meetings took place on March 26, 2025 in Quebec City. Two groups of young people were consulted: a group from the CRJDA Le Gouvernail and one from the CRJDA L’Escale.

Parents of young people who have been placed in a CRJDA have a unique experience and vision of rehabilitation services. They are well placed to voice their needs and share their input in order to improve services.

Meetings were held via TEAMS between March 20 and April 1, 2025.

What do parents think of youth protection rehabilitation services? (in French with English subtitles available)

People who are involved in or concerned by rehabilitation services for young people with adjustment difficulties were invited to share their thoughts, recommendations and experiences via an online form between March 20 and April 30, 2025.

The online consultation is now over. Your contributions are valuable and will be taken into account in the course of the work.

The consultation made it possible to confirm the mission of youth rehabilitation services, to propose a renewed vision and to define the bases of the new reference framework. The reference framework will guide all practices in rehabilitation facilities, taking into account the needs expressed by young people, their families, as well as professionals.