For The Child programs are designed to provide caring, professional help for child victims of abuse or neglect, children who may be at risk and their families.
help children and families cope effectively with the physical, social and psychological aftermath of abuse.
provides emotional support and crisis intervention to children when forensic medical exams and law enforcement interviews are necessary.
provides birthday baskets to children in need. Each basket contains new clothing, shoes, toys and a book. It is all wrapped and topped off with a stuffed animal, paper party supplies and a birthday cake. The program averages 25 birthdays per month and it's goal is to make each child feel special and loved on their birthday.
is a comprehensive mental health program for economically disadvantaged children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral problems.
provides childcare services and resource assistance at the Long Beach Courthouse. Services are offered to children whose parents have business with the court, and to their parents or caregivers.
was developed to help young children with serious behavioral problems like aggressiveness, defiance, temper tantrums and oppositional behavior.
teaches over 2,000 grade school children in the LBUSD and community pre-schools each year how to protect themselves from abuse and tell a responsible adult to get help.
Child abuse treatment and therapy programs help children and families cope effectively with the physical, social and psychological aftermath of abuse.
Children who have been abused often suffer from anxiety, depression, nightmares, overly aggressive behavior, age inappropriate sexualized behavior, and increased fearfulness. Children who witness violence often suffer from similar problems. They may internalize their feelings and withdraw, or externalize their pain in disobedience, fighting, destruction of property, substance abuse or violence toward other children. For the Child offers counseling to these children.
Therapeutic Interventions are individually tailored to child and family needs. Individual, group and family therapy provide help with safety and healing.
To Make A Referral call (562) 427-7671
All Services Available in English and Spanish
One child's Story
9 years ago, a 13 year old was raped...
A call comes in to the Police Department. A child has been sexually assaulted. The dispatcher sends their officers and then calls the first link in a chain of assistance for this child victim. If the assault is recent (within 72 hours) a multi-disciplinary team leaps into action. For The Child’s trained volunteer, who has been monitoring an emergency pager, answers the call – day or night, 7 days a week. Carrying with them the tools of this trade – information, counseling skills and a bag full of toys and snacks to comfort, entertain and support – they head for the child and the hospital.
The Child Abuse Response Team (CART) provides emotional support and crisis intervention to children when forensic medical exams and law enforcement interviews are necessary. The program utilizes volunteers with professional experience and a minimum of 40 hours of training. Volunteers are supervised by a licensed mental health professional. CART is part of the larger Sexual Assault Response Team, a Long Beach multi-disciplinary collaboration of medical and criminal justice professionals that responds to all sexual assault calls that occur within 72 hours of the crime.
To Volunteer Call (562) 422-8472
One child's Story
8 year-old Marcus was sexually abused...
On the Day You Were Born provides birthday baskets to children in need. Each basket contains new clothing,
shoes, toys and a book. It is all wrapped and topped off with a stuffed animal, paper party supplies and a
birthday cake donated by Creative Cakery. The program averages 25 birthdays per month and it's goal is to make
each abused, neglected or at-risk Long Beach child feel special and loved on their birthday. These birthday
presents and gifts go to children from 2 to 12 from low-income families so they can have a celebration with their
family. This project is entirely staffed by volunteers. If you would like to brighten a child's birthday,
for $70 you can fund a birthday celebration.
Click here to read the press release.
Letters from our darling children who received a basket:
Dear Miss Patty
Hello this is Joseph whitting you this letter from my heart to you well this letter is to tell you thank you for the
shoes and the outfit and the book and the toy and the painting of the dinosours you know I really dinosours and again
thank you,
Joseph
Thank you for all my toys, my shoes and my clothes. I shared my cake with my family and my friends. Thank
you for making my birthday very special day. I hope other kids can feel nice and happy on thier birthday like me.
You really make a difference.
Sincerly, Raymond
Patty:
Thank you very much for all the presents that you sent me for my birthday. God bless always that beautiful
heart of you. Thank you.!
Sincerely, Jorge
A comprehensive mental health program for economically disadvantaged children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral problems. Interventions are family focused, identifying family stressors and drawing upon family, cultural and community resources.
For The Child therapists travel beyond agency walls, taking mental health care to school campuses. Our “therapy on wheels” program reaches out to children and families with the greatest need, eliminating barriers created by poverty, language, transportation, and family isolation. Services are provided in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
For The Child’s team of therapists and social workers has over twenty years experience providing mental health care to children and adolescents supervised by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Juvenile Dependency Division. Our family-focused model integrates assessment, treatment and supportive services for foster-children, foster-parents and relative caregivers, as well as families receiving services from child protective services to avoid out-of-home placement.
To Make A Referral Call (562) 427-7671
All Services Available in English and Spanish.
One child's Story
10 year old Judy has been in more than 20 foster homes...
Kids' Place, a childcare center located on the 1st floor of the court, provides a safe haven for children 0-13 while their parents tend to their business with the courts.
Families and people in crisis are in the Long Beach courts every day with their small children in tow. Babies are left unattended in the hallways while their parents are in the courtroom. Young children are sent to restrooms unsupervised. Children see their parents handcuffed and in shackles. They watch as their fathers or other caregivers are sent to jail. They hear testimony of violent or criminal behavior of family members. Often, they relive the terror they have already experienced at this young age.
Kids’ Place offers free childcare services so children do not have to experience this trauma.
Many of the families who bring their children to court are having difficulty coping with a variety of issues in their life. In addition to courthouse childcare, Kids’ Place assists them with information and referrals to community services such as childcare, medical care, shelter, or legal aid.
One child's Story
Jan was born to a drug addicted mother...
Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) was developed to help young children, 2 to 8 years old, with serious behavior problems like aggressiveness, defiance, temper tantrums and oppositional behavior. It is also a promising new method for low to moderate severity physical abuse cases involving young children.
With this 15-20 week program parents with young children with behavior problems have the help many parents wish for – a trained professional whispering in their ear. In our play room, designed with a one way mirror and audio visual equipment, a parent wearing a hearing device plays with their child. A therapist observing the interaction from the other side of the one way mirror coaches the parent and helps them make course corrections and practice relationship enhancement and discipline skills.
To Make A Referral call (562) 427-7671
All Services Available in English and Spanish
One child's Story
Mike"s vocabulary was amazingly profane...
There (generally) are no physical marks to alert a concerned caretaker, parent, teacher or friend to sexual abuse. This program is designed to help a young child find his/her voice to stop abuse and get help.
Teaches pre-school through 2nd grade children about being safe and telling a responsible adult if they have a problem. Teaches parents ways to work with their children to maximize their safety and get assistance when needed.
This child safety and sexual abuse prevention and education program is provided by trained volunteers to children and parents in the LBUSD and community pre-schools. Aware Bears is an interactive puppet show that helps to protect young children from sexual abuse by making them aware of “good touch” and “bad,” gives them ways to get away from strangers and others when they are not safe, and gives children the tools to talk to a responsible adult if they have been abused.
To schedule a presentation or volunteer, call (562) 422-8472
