MONTREAL -- The commission looking into Quebec's Youth Protection system wrapped up its first week of hearings, and one of those who testified was Care Jeunesse president Jennifer Dupuis, who works with those in the system once they turn 18.
"My testimony was to speak about what the voice of the youth are saying, and the youth are saying that there needs to be change," said Dupuis. "There needs to be more quality service provided to youth while they're in care, and there needs to be support for youth when they're leaving care."
The Laurent Commission was formed after a 7-year-old girl was killed in Granby after alleged mistreatment from those watching her.
Dupuis was in the system as a young person and had a difficult time moving from home to home and dealing with the issues that came with the unstable living situation.
"I had to navigate my way through the system in order to survive," said Dupuis, who said many youth continue to experience the same kinds of trauma when they're in care that they did before they entered the system.
"There's not enough resources to address that kind of trauma," she said.
Care Jeunesse tries to fill some of the gaps that are missing for those in the system that need support.
Dupuis is cautiously optimistic that the hearings will help improve the situation.
"I'm hoping positive change will come of it," she said. "It's a long time coming. I think that it's impossible to change everything that needs to be changed, but I'm hoping that some of the major things are going to at least improve."
