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An investigation is underway at an east side detention center for juvenile offenders where at least nine instructors allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with inmates, including at least one case of full-on sexual intercourse.

Two managers were suspended and the instructors involved were either suspended or fired amid the ongoing investigation into the incidents at the Cité-des-Prairies center in Rivière-des-Prairies, according to the health authority that oversees it.

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The alleged misconduct was first disclosed on Thursday by La Presse and Le Devoirwhich reported that in the past two years, at least nine instructors had sex with at least five inmates and at least one of the instructors fathered a child fathered by a juvenile inmate.

The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal did not confirm these details pending the results of the investigation, beyond noting that it had been informed of nine educators potentially involved in misconduct, including at least one reported sexual act and cases of sexual exchanges on social networks.

The health authority declined a request for an interview with its director of youth protection on Friday, but said in an email that it had launched an independent investigation by an outside firm once it was made aware of allegations of sexual misconduct involving a held.

“This report led us to discover other elements that led our organization to launch the investigation,” the health authority said. “This type of situation is unacceptable and we take these allegations very seriously. … Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of young people.”

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CIUSSS explained that the two managers were temporarily removed from their positions during the investigation “as their teams were directly affected”.

“We acted promptly to protect young people affected by these situations,” CIUSSS said. “We have put in place support measures for the alleged victims and their families.”

Quebec Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant called the content of the La Presse report “more than disturbing” in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, noting that a police investigation is underway “to shed light on all the facts “.

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“We will never tolerate situations like this,” Carmant wrote. “The abuse of vulnerable young people is a criminal act and is subject to prosecution and conviction. Everything will be done to ensure the protection and safety of the young people in our care.”

Citing privacy concerns, Montreal police would not confirm whether an investigation had been opened.

In a statement Friday morning, Liberal MP Brigitte Garceau, who is the opposition’s critic of youth protection, called on Carmant to launch a provincial inquiry into all youth and rehabilitation centers in Quebec.

“Outrageous stories continue to accumulate in the network of the Director of Youth Protection and the minister is responsible for them for six years,” Garceau said. “Is he even aware of what’s going on in his network?”

Garceau added that she is disgusted by the situation in Cité-des-Prairies.

“This story makes my blood run cold,” she said. “If we no longer feel that our young people are safe in these rehabilitation centers, where should we send them?”

Cité-des-Prairies mostly houses criminals under the age of 18 who have committed major crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, firearms offenses and pimping. It is the center that receives the most complex of such cases in Montreal, according to CIUSSS.

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A group representing the type of instructors who work in such centers, the Association des éducatrices et éducateurs spécialisés du Québec, said Friday that the “unacceptable” situation at Cité-des-Prairies is an example of why the profession should be regulated by a professional. command.

Spokesman Sylvain Ratel said this has been requested by the association for a decade.

“Today, we’re seeing all kinds of consequences” in the absence of an order, he said.

One of the problems is that employers may hire people with degrees other than those related to specialized studies who are not qualified for the job, Ratel explained.

This is particularly problematic as the profession involves working with some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“There is a shortage of nurses, but we don’t hire people who aren’t nurses to practice,” Ratel said. “There is a shortage of dental hygienists, but we don’t do that either. Why? Because they are regulated and legally structured, so it doesn’t happen.”

He pointed out that if the Cité-des-Prairies employees under investigation were part of an order, they would likely lose their right to practice. While they may lose their current jobs, human resources records are confidential, so “there’s nothing preventing them from finding other (jobs), and employers in the future won’t know what happened,” Ratel said. That means the misconduct could continue elsewhere.

The CIUSSS said it expects to receive the findings of the inquiry later this fall.

“In the meantime, we are proactive in identifying preventative measures, improving our practices so that such situations are immediately reported and addressed,” the statement said.

Those wishing to report information may do so confidentially at 514-896-3100.

[email protected]

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