Childhaven
Thanks for all your support and votes.
Voting is now closed for this competition.
Carmen, Infant Mental Health Therapist: What Childhaven really does, I think it meets - as a whole - each individual family where they are.
Jessica, Occupational Therapist: A lot of our kids have had difficult starts to their lives, and they've had a lot of trauma in their pasts where building relationships can be difficult. Childhaven's goal is to serve a variety of families. In order to serve the individual unique needs that every family's going to have, you're going to need a variety of services.
Regina, Teacher: We built a really good relationship with a lot of the families, so they feel comfortable talking to us.
Michelle, Childhaven Client: I feel really good saying that cycle that was going on in our family, through generations, that stopped with me. And you know, through my own traumas, because of it, I know my child won't. So that's, I think the biggest impact.
Childhaven
Childhaven is a safe and caring provider for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in King County. Today, our early learning, early intervention, and counseling programs support positive outcomes for all children and families in the communities we serve. We partner with parents and community to strengthen families, prevent childhood trauma and its damaging effects, and prepare children for a lifetime of well-being.
Our Early Intervention programs (birth to 3 yrs. of age) includes services to help infants and toddlers, birth up to three years, with disabilities or delays in their development. Services offered include: speech therapy, occupational therapy, special education, and more. Our Early Learning programs (0 to 6 yrs. of age) for children provide daily care and pre-K instruction with a social-emotional focus to help children with highly individual needs succeed. Childhaven also provides coaching and support to parents and caregivers to build upon family strengths and help children reach their full potential. Our Therapy and Counseling Services (6-13 yrs. of age) can also support the emotional health and development of children and create lasting, nurturing bonds with their parent(s) and/or caregiver(s). Therapies include individual and family therapy, music and play therapy, child-parent psychotherapy and more.
Formerly known as, 'Seattle Day Nursery' in 1909, it was first opened by a Presbyterian minister to care for children whose poor mothers "had to work from necessity." The nursery was facing hard times. The federal government was cutting child-care funds for poor workers.
Our founder, Patrick "Pat" Gogerty, grew up the angry child of an alcoholic father who beat him and a fortune-teller mother who parked him in foster care. Over time, he grappled with a question, "Why does one child, growing up in the worst circumstances, become a productive adult, while another lashes out in violence?"
Pat Gogerty managed to escape the abyss. But how? And what support in a child's life can make a difference?
Since 1973, when Pat Gogerty became the executive director for Childhaven, it has been a safe and caring place for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in King County.
Maybe, he said, the "Rosetta Stone" is to be found at Childhaven.
Today, Childhaven continues Pat's legacy by offering therapeutic daycare services to the county's most vulnerable population, and expanding our wraparound services to bolster the support of our families, giving them hope, so they can flourish.
Our contact info:
If you would like to know more, please contact:
Rhonda Smith
206-957-4808
rhondas@childhaven.org