May 17 marked the first anniversary of the Centre de pédiatrie sociale (CPSC) Cœur des Laurentides, located in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts just a few kilometres south of Mont-Tremblant. Throughout this first year, we went out and met the children, got to know them, and also established a relationship of trust with them.
The social pediatrics centre in Sainte-Agathe accompanies and supports children between 0 and 16 years old living in the MRC des Laurentides (20 municipalities) who are in vulnerable situations to ensure their optimal growth and development such that their fundamental rights, needs, and best interests are respected.
The model combines medical, social science, and law expertise. A multidisciplinary team, including a psychoeducator, a music therapist and experienced volunteers, works with the physicians and social worker. Homework assistance, a choir, and outings to move around and explore are offered to achieve specific objectives with the children.
Deployment of the community social pediatrics program in the Laurentians would not have been possible without Tremblant’s 24h financial support. The children’s needs are urgent and constantly evolving.
During the centre’s first year of operation, 122 children benefitted from its social pediatrics services. The centres’ employees carried out 1,523 interventions with children who, most of the time, are unknown to public and health services.
Reasons to come knocking on our door are numerous: problems related to neglect, family issues, psycho-emotional problems, language and behavioural problems, and anxiety disorders are only a few examples.
Hundreds of children in need have yet to receive our services. A pilot project is already in place at the Le Tremplin school in Labelle, a small municipality north of Mont-Tremblant. Several times a year, the social pediatrics services are moved there to make the services accessible to the children of this highly vulnerable area.
Needs are great, and the territory of the MRC des Laurentides is large; these are the challenges the team of the Centre de pédiatrie sociale Cœur des Laurentides must face.
