2023-08-28 04:00:00
Two former employees of the Intermediate Residence of the Pioneers in Saint-Nicolas accuse the management of the establishment of negligence towards the autistic young people who are accommodated there following one of them was saved in extremis from a fall into the waters of the Lawrence River following a runaway on August 10.
Opened in the spring of 2023, the residence which accommodates young people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (DI-ASD) has several employees in its ranks who have no training to intervene with this clientele, according to testimonies collected. by The newspaper.
Photo Nicolas St-Pierre
“The staff who work there have no training or expertise. The management engages a little Mr. and Mrs. everyone because of the turnover of employees, but they do not receive any training, ”says a former employee, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.
“There is no clear protocol for intervening with children and there is absolutely no structure. It’s pitiful because in addition, these young people are completely dependent on the people who take care of them, ”she adds.
One to midnight
It is also at this center that the young autistic man who found himself in distress in the St. Lawrence River following escaping the vigilance of the employees on August 10 was housed.
Photo Nicolas St-Pierre
As explained by the two former employees, the boy would have run away through a hole between the fence and the grass in the backyard of the establishment, a flaw that had been known by the officials of the residence for almost a month.
Photo Nicolas St-Pierre
Disorganized, he then launched himself down a stone wall when the tide was not yet very high before starting to swim out to sea.
Photo Agence QMI, Guy Martel
Despite the rapid rescue of the firefighters which allowed the victim to escape unscathed, the two former employees fear that this will not be the last time that episodes of this kind occur due to the irresponsibility of management.
“It wasn’t the first time it happened, it’s only that this time it was much bigger, but the management knew regarding it for a long time and absolutely nothing was done” , underlines one of them.
Unqualified employees
In addition to not having any training, two employees of the center were minors when the event occurred.
“It is incomprehensible that young people with intellectual disabilities or an autism spectrum disorder are under the supervision of a minor, a person without training or work experience or even both”, supports the one who testifies also anonymously.
According to the latter, a specialized educator should at least be hired there.
Photo Nicolas St-Pierre
Contacted by The newspaper on numerous occasions in order to hear his version of the facts, the Intermediate Residence of the Pioneers declined our request for an interview.
“As an establishment welcoming young people at risk of running away, we ensure that our operations and our staff scrupulously respect the standards and regulations in force”, indicated the principal manager, Édouard Wakim, in an official statement.
For its part, the CISSS de Chaudière-Appalaches ensures that the residence is accredited and that “the follow-ups related to quality and safety are carried out according to the prescribed standards”.
Need for monitoring
Without however commenting on this specific case, the executive director of the Quebec Autism Federation, Lili Plourde, is not at all surprised to hear that there are currently shortcomings, particularly with regard to the training of employees in due to labor shortage.
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t find the situation worrying, though, since an autistic child requires far more monitoring than a child who hasn’t been diagnosed with ASD.
“Security is so important. People with autism are not fully aware of the danger. They are more likely to get hit or drown,” says Ms.me Plourd.
“A shelter that not only does not have trained staff, but whose environment is not safe is clearly a double danger,” she concluded.
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