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Temporary
Emergency Shelter
"He was a four-month-old, red-head who came to
the emergency shelter in a body cast. When he left
the shelter, he was able to crawl around the room…there
was a sparkle in his big blue eyes…he had finally
learned how to laugh, smile, and simply be a kid."
The
Children's Shelter is the oldest and largest emergency
shelter for children in the State of Texas. We specialize
in care to infants and young children, serving newborn
up to the age of twelve years. The shelter has the
capacity to care for up to 52 children at one time
(9 cribs and 43 beds for children.) CPS and SAPD bring
children to the Shelter. The majority of the children
have been removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment,
and/or neglect.
A Place to Heal
The children who walk through our doors at the shelter
are often stressed beyond their years, having lived
through and seen what no one, regardless of age, should
have to. To them, childhood consisted of living to
survive rather than living to laugh, learn, wiggle,
and dance. They were often forced to take on the role
of caregiver in order to be sure their siblings were
even fed. These children come as exhausted, battered
little souls who need a safe place to heal and be
loved.
The
shelter becomes home for these children, and the staff
and other children become their family. The Children's
Shelter is a place for them to heal physically and
emotionally until safe haven or other permanent care
can be secured. The children may remain at the shelter
for a few hours or possibly even several weeks. Every
child receives medical, eye, and dental exams to determine
his/her medical care needs.
The
children's emotional healing begins through crisis
intervention the moment they enter the shelter. Art
therapy, one form of therapy for children older than
3, proves to be a big hit for the children at the
shelter. The kids love doing art projects; to the
children, they are just coloring and creating, but
the art work they create is a critical piece of information
that reflects a child's thoughts and emotional problems.
The
Children's Shelter believes that education can be
a strong salve for healing, giving the children
the tools and confidence to excel
once they move on from The Children's Shelter.  Children
in kindergarten through the fifth grade are showered
with individualized attention
and tutoring at the on-campus school, which is provided
by the San Antonio Independent School District. Pre-school
children participate in a child development program,
and children under the age of three receive daily
stimulation to foster development.
Complete
Assessment Services
We
are licensed by the Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services to provide assessment services.
Children three years and older receive a psychological
evaluation and a recommended level of care for post-shelter
care.
The
Children's Shelter provides 24-hour temporary emergency
care to 52 children per day, aged birth to 14 years,
who have been removed from their homes due to abuse,
abandonment, and/or neglect. At the Cedar Street Shelter,
children participate in classroom instruction in the
Shelter's on-campus school, therapeutic art sessions
with a registered art therapist, field trips, an array
of activities in the Learning Center, and children
under the age of three receive daily stimulation to
foster development. All children are given assessments,
which include 24-hour charting, complete medical,
eye, and dental exams, a social history, a developmental
history, and a psychological examination and interview.
If
you would like more information or literature on The
Children's Shelter, please contact us:
Contact Us |
