In-house Child Care Program

Affordable child care is a need often faced by survivors seeking self sufficiency and independence. The Shelter’s Child Care program is a support system for parents and children during very stressful times in their lives. This service is available for survivors in emergency shelter, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm. Survivors can utilize this service as needed to tend to employment, job search, court proceedings and counseling appointments. This eliminates a significant barrier to achieving their individualized service plans to move their family toward safety and peace.

The Shelter’s child care objective is to provide a nurturing, safe, and secure environment where children are encouraged to play, laugh, learn, and put their fears aside. The Shelter’s Child Care Advocate accepts each child as an individual and helps children develop at their own pace by providing a warm and affectionate environment that celebrates all cultures and backgrounds. The Child Care Advocate is sensitive to children’s needs and understands the effects domestic violence has on the children. Additionally, the Child Care Advocate works closely with the Family Service Manager in Emergency Shelter to empower each child to accomplish his or her goals.

The Child Care Advocate encourages positive behavior by setting child care goals for children. These goals guide staff in a daily routine and help children remain on task and engaged in the learning process. These goals are:

To begin the development of language, both listening and speaking
To begin to express appropriate emotions and resolve conflicts
To begin to understand the physical world
To develop positive self-esteem and be involved in age-appropriate activities
To develop self-control and self-discipline
To give and receive affection
To grow independently
To learn and practice gross motor skills
To learn to get along with others