Our History

Created in 1992, Batshaw Youth and Family Centres (Batshaw Centres) is a non-profit organization that is part of the Quebec Health and Social Services network. The founding establishments - Ville-Marie Social Service Centre, Shawbridge Youth Centres, Youth Horizons and Mount St-Patrick Youth Centre, as well as services offered by the Department of Youth Protection of Jewish Family Services - follow a rich tradition of almost 200 years of service devoted to the welfare of children and their families. Our establishment is named in honour of Manuel G. Batshaw, social worker and renowned activist.

We provide services to children and their families of the island of Montreal who wish to receive them in English and to the Jewish community, in either English or French. We also offer rehabilitation placement services to youths from all regions of Quebec who require them in English.

Our name

Batshaw Youth and Family Centres is named after Manuel G. Batshaw, a renowned social worker from Montreal. His career evolved within the Canadian Armed Forces and as Director of Allied Jewish Community Services. He also chaired the Comité d'étude sur la réadaptation des enfants et adolescents placés en centre d'accueil (better known as the Batshaw Committee). Under his remarkable leadership, the committee's report paved the way to a major restructuring of services to children and youths in Quebec and to the introduction of the Youth Protection Act. Mr. Batshaw's accomplishments have been acknowledged in many different ways. Among other awards, he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from McGill University in 1998, was named to the Ordre national du Québec in 1995 and to Order of Canada in 2004.