If you’ve ever asked, “What about the children?” here’s your answer.

Submitted by Katy’s Place Program Manager Mary Jean DiRoberto 

Even at their young ages, many of our children at Katy’s Place have already experienced trauma in their lives. That’s why, in addition to providing a safe and nurturing environment for them while their moms are receiving treatment, our staff is also trained in trauma-informed interventions for young children. 

One of our Childcare Providers, Paula Beisser, recalls two of the little ones in our care who were slow to thrive.

“One baby often arrived in the morning serious and unhappy. It took a while, but over time he began to smile when he arrived and saw the consistent smiling faces of the caregivers.” Paula continues, “Another baby, a little girl, didn’t seem to like putting any pressure on her legs. After daily massages and encouragement, she just stood up one day on her caregiver’s lap and started bouncing up and down and smiling. She looked so proud.”  

These may seem like normal occurrences in childcare settings, but for our population they reflect great moments. We at Katy’s Place witness many of these “great moments” and we celebrate each of them. 

Every day at Katy’s Place is a day filled with projects and activities designed to help the children flourish mentally and physically and meet the developmental goals for their ages.  

For example, we might place objects in front of our infants and try to get them to reach for them and grab them. Or to help toddlers with their fine motor skills, we could use the water table with plastic fish, fishing poles, nets and small cups. Or introduce kinetic sand or Play Doh into an activity to allow them to use their creative skills. Recently, our toddlers worked together to make bird feeders, so they could watch their feathered friends from the window whenever they stopped by to eat. 

“I love watching the toddlers enjoy themselves as they explore and interact, especially while knowing some of the trauma in their backgrounds.” Program Supervisor Briana Higgins said with a smile, “It is heartwarming to see our children flourish in the safe, happy environment we provide.”  

To help our moms continue to build a connection to their little ones, we always tell them about their child’s day. Our teachers also give them a written report indicating diaper changes, feeding and snack times as well as any observations that might require attention. If a child is not meeting developmental milestones, we’ll work closely with the mom and our early relational health specialists to develop specific activities and strategies to address the issue. 

“This daycare is amazing with my daughter. She comes back and she is just a happy baby.” 

- Marissa, CGE client

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The Center for Great Expectations provides a safe place, safe presence and a safe path for pregnant and parenting women and their children, and men, seeking treatment for substance use and mental health disorders.

Learn more: https://www.cge-nj.org/