AQED is working tirelessly on behalf of its members! We want to keep you informed of our efforts to advocate on your behalf with the Director of Youth Protection (DYP, known as the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse, or DPJ, in French). The freedom of families is constantly put to the test and we must continue to work to prevent families from being harassed by the DYP for no other reason than because they are homeschooling.
What form can these interventions take? Below is a summary of a situation that took place earlier this month, in which AQED intervened to support one of its members.
A DYP representative in one region recently contacted AQED for information about a family. We made it clear to them that AQED is a community-based organization and that we are not required by law to release any information whatsoever.
After a few telephone exchanges, our legal counsel clarified several facts with the DYP representative.
- The family was not at fault since they sent their notice to the Direction de l'enseignement à la maison (DEM) within 10 days of the withdrawal from school. They showed the DYP the acknowledgement of receipt, which is the only document the DYP needs in order to assess whether the family is really doing homeschooling.
- The family can submit their learning project (LP), but it is not up to the social worker to judge or evaluate it. The DEM is the only government department with the authority to determine the compliance of the LP. The DYP is not a competent body to assess the content of the LP: its jurisdiction and mandate is solely to assess whether a child is in a compromised situation.
Social workers and the DYP sometimes have limited knowledge of home education, so we are taking steps to raise their awareness and inform them of your rights and realities. This is one of the many excellent reasons to become a member of AQED, as the association is always there to defend and represent its members.
Thank you for your trust!