|
“A child is confirmed as abused or neglected every 36 seconds and dies from abuse or neglect every six hours. This is not an act of God, but our choice as men and women leaders and citizens. This can and must be changed” Marian Wright Edelman, President of the Children’s Defense Fund
For over thirty years, statistics as frightening as these have driven the activities of The Children’s Place in creating a sanctuary to help heal the youngest survivors of abuse, neglect, or trauma.
In 1976, leaders from the medical, legal, mental health, social service, law enforcement and volunteer communities in Kansas City began to focus on the troubling increase of incidences of unexplained injuries and ailments to young children. These leaders worked together to ensure that appropriate treatment services were available to these victims. The public awareness and conversation of child abuse was just starting. In 1978, these leaders formed The Children’s Place which opened its doors providing a multi-disciplinary day treatment program for victims of abuse and neglect aged six weeks through six years of age. The Children’s Place has continued to expand services to address the needs of children and families within our community.
In 1986, the Outpatient Treatment Services program was established, providing therapy to abused, neglected and traumatized children and their families on an outpatient basis. The Outpatient Treatment Services program can see children from ages three to eight years. In, 1998, The Children’s Place launched its Parenting Support Services, providing training and assessments to prospective foster and adoptive parents.
Through the years the mission of the agency has been steadfast: to promote positive mental health and developmental outcomes through prevention, treatment and family support for young children who have experienced abuse, neglect or other trauma.
Child abuse cuts through every line, racial, economic, geographic, and religious. There is no stereotypical abuser nor is there a stereotypical victim or survivor. It is a cycle that simply must be broken. Every child wants and deserves to be protected and loved by their parents or any adult in their lives.
Helping heal the survivors is paramount in the work of The Children’s Place, however working to educate parents and the community at large is of equal importance. As is often stated, it takes a village to raise a child and we believe that it will take a village to help heal a child.
THE CHILDREN'S PLACE TIMELINE
1974 |
The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri establishes child abuse and neglect as a priority and begins research on the community’s child protection system. Their research funds those services available for the treatment of abused children and their families are limited and that preventive and educational programs are virtually non-existent. |
1976 |
Child Abuse Services Center is incorporated as a general not for profit corporation in Missouri. The agency’s name changes to the Child Advocacy Services Center, Inc. two years later. |
1977 |
Agency founders commit to the creation of a therapeutic nursery to be named The Children’s Place. |
1978 |
The Day Treatment Services program of The Children’s Place opens its doors at 7110 Wyandotte with three classrooms to meet the needs of abused and neglected children. |
1986 |
Outpatient Treatment Services is established, providing therapy to abused, neglected and otherwise traumatized children and their families on an outpatient basis. |
1987 |
The Day Treatment Services program of The Children’s Place is recognized as the Best Model Program by the American Association for Protecting Children, as the first of five research articles on the effectiveness of programming at The Children’s Place appears in the International Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect. |
1989 |
The Children’s Place moves to its current location, now offering five classrooms and successfully achieves accreditation by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. |
1991 |
The Day Treatment Services program at The Children’s Place begins providing services to drug-exposed infants. |
1995 |
The Angels of The Children’s Place Auxiliary is formed. This fundraising auxiliary is dedicated to supporting the agency’s mission. |
1997 |
Having provided parenting and education service throughout its history, The Children’s Place formalizes these efforts with the creation of the Parenting Support Services and Community Training Services program. |
1998 |
The Parenting Support Services program of The Children’s Place begins providing training and assessments of prospective foster and adoptive parents for the Division of Family Services. |
2001 |
The Children’s Place initiates a quarterly Child Abuse Roundtable Discussion, bringing together local legislators and child advocates to address the needs of abused and neglected children. Day Treatment Services receives accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. |
2002 |
The Children’s Place joins the University of Missouri-Kansas City in the creation of the K.C. Metro Child Traumatic Stress Program, part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, aimed at improving access to and the quality of services available within the community to children who have experienced trauma. |
2003 |
The Children’s Place celebrates 25 years of service to the community. |
2004 |
The Children’s Place establishes a new strategic direction of Clinical Excellence. Clinical staff was trained in three “best practices” of treatment with traumatized children identified by the National Child Traumatic Street Network through the Kauffman Foundation Best Practices Project. |
2005 |
The Children’s Place is recognized as a Show-Me Solution by Governor Matt Blunt as part of his Show-Me Solutions Initiative highlighting outstanding work being done in communities across the heartland. |
2006 |
Nationally recognized puppet-based program called Al’s Pals is introduced into the Day Treatment Program curriculum. This resiliency-based program helps children 3 to 8 years of age develop personal, social and emotional skills. |
2008 |
The Children’s Place celebrates 30 years of service to the community.
The Kansas City Child Abuse Roundtable Coalition launches “Wear Blue Day” to raise awareness and show support for the fight against child abuse and neglect. |
2009 |
The Children’s Place establishes two new partnerships: Carter Broadcasting Group – media sponsor and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, Kansas City (NARI). Both partnerships serve to increase the visibility of the agency and provided much needed plant improvements. |
2010 |
Establishes new fundraising event, the Ice Cream Dreamery. Offers Play Therapy as a new modality for its day and outpatient treatment services program and establishes a Young Advisory Board of The Children’s Place. |
|
