West Valley Child Crisis Center is in the business of saving children’s lives.
This might sound overstated until you enter the shelter and hear some of the stories of the children that have been provided a safe home in a time of desperate need.
On any given day, you can find children that have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services (CPS) for reasons such as broken limbs, burns, cuts, bruises, emotional or sexual abuse, abandonment, or extreme neglect—sadly caused mostly at the hands of the people they love the most.
It’s sad that such a place must exist, but it is a reality that Arizona ranks at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to child welfare, and that means there are children that unfortunately need our services.
The West Valley Child Crisis Center provides temporary shelter and supervision for children who are victims of, or at risk of, abuse, neglect or abandonment, in a safe, nurturing, home-like environment staffed by quality care providers and to interact with the community to increase awareness of, and work to prevent, the cycle of child abuse.
Our mission is to provide a safe place where children are comfortable and loved, and given a chance to heal before being placed in a foster home, restored with their parent(s), or with a relative that the State deems able to provide decent care.
We are the only temporary shelter for abused children in the West Valley, and the largest non-profit shelter in Arizona. We operate under the control of the Department of Economic Security (DES) who licenses us annually and inspects monthly.
The shelter has the capacity to house 48 boys and girls ranging in age from birth to 11 years of age. There are six cottage style homes each with an 8 bed capacity in each home. On average, children are in the program approximately 83 days. Throughout the year, approximately 250-325 youngsters will find their way to WVCCC. Since our founding in 1986, more than 2,500 Arizona children have found safety, protection, and nurturance at WVCCC.
From July 2004 to June 2005, we provided shelter, care and support services for 249 children. In 2003-2004, there were 11,309 bed nights used, a 128% increase from 4,950 in 2002-2003. And in 2004-2005, there were 17,525 bed nights used, a 35% increase from 2003-2004.
No matter how we characterize family, the strength of the relationship between adults and the children who depend upon them will define our society in the years to come.
During their stay, each child
- is taken care of by well-trained, nurturing staff and is provided with a warm bed, clothing, nutritionally-balanced meals and a child-friendly environment
- receives services that respond to their medical, emotional and behavioral needs
- attends a daily educational program suited to their age and developmental stage where they can begin to experience success
- is given guidance and learns how to form trusting relationships with our caring staff, other children and volunteers, as they begin the healing process
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