Montreal group holds major forum on preventing early childhood neglect

Single mother Valérie Houle turned to Repit Providence, a community organization supporting parents and children in Montreal. (CTV News)

Asking for help wasn't always easy for Valérie Houle, but the single mother of two young children believes doing so saved her and her family.

"In the worst moments of my life, [Répit Providence] gave me hope for the future," she says.

Isolated and without a support network, Houle turned to Répit Providence, a community organization supporting parents and children in Montreal.

"I was anxious and afraid of letting my children down," she says, adding the group gave her the tools she needed.

While there are many organizations whose mission is to support families, they often work in silos, according to Susan Poon.

"We are trying to break this cycle," says the family social worker and pedagogical director at Répit Providence.

This lack of collaboration can result in child neglect.

"It's one of the biggest issues faced by social workers," Poon added.

That's why Répit Providence made collaboration the theme of its annual forum, gathering around 100 childcare experts on Wednesday.

"It's important that they share their experiences, the good things they do and how they could do even better," says Maya Iwaskow, liaison officer at Répit Providence.

The topic rings especially loud following the death of a five-year-old in Coteau-du-Lac last week. The boy's mother is accused of first-degree murder.

Quebec Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant reacted to the news in an interview with Noovo Info on Wednesday.

He says strengthening the presence and tools of community organizations is vital to prevent such tragedies. Carmant believes these groups can act as safety nets, especially in rural regions.

Reducing stigma for parents who seek help should also be a priority, says Iwaskow.

"Because neglecting is like forbidding to provide the basic needs to your child, it's not intentionally hurting your child", she says. "That's the big difference and people need to understand that difference to also not be judgemental."