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Nursery program offers children love and support
By Tonnie Dakin
Of the Kmwratd
For many children, simply growing
up can be a harrowing experience.
Child abuse — physical, mental or emo
tional — often can take away the
simplistic joys of youth and scar an in
dividual for life.
University students and others have
an opportunity to help such abused
children by volunteering their time, ef
fort and love at the l.ane County Relief
Nursery.
The children who attend the nursery
range in age from six weeks to six years.
Most of them are referred by the
Children's Services Division of the State
Agency on Child Welfare, says Maria
Rodriguez, program director.
If child abuse is suspected in the
home, the CSI) is called to investigate
and the family is assigned a case
worker, she says. The children are
usually sent to the relief nursery, she
says.
The children are enrolled two days a
week for three hours a day. There are 72
children currently involved with the
program. Rodriguez Says.
■'All the kids in the program are cur
rently living at home, although they
may have been in foster care before.”
Rodriguez says. "The purpose of the
program is to try to keep families
together."
One way this is achieved is through
the nursery's Intensive F’arenl Training
Program, implemented for parents
whose children are at imminent risk of
removal from the home, she says.
V.
r
because the state is required to try to
help as much as possible before
separating a child from his parents, the
program attempts to teach parents to
establish emotional bonds with their
children and practice non-physical
forms of discipline. Rodrigue/ says.
The nursery operates out of complete
ly donated facilities in two different
locations. Although both are funded by
the t Initial Way. much of the program's
income comes from donations from the
church and private fundings, savs
Rodriguez
Volunteers are an important part of
the nursery because they reduce the
need for a paid staff, she says.
The nursery’s volunteer coordinator
is Judy Hrown-King. Olympic silver
medalist in the 400-meter hurdles.
“Judy was literally running by one
day and she saw the nursery." says
Rodriguez. “She loves kids hut she
can't 'have any until the Olympics are
over, so she volunteers.tr> fill the gap."
"Volunteers are interviewed, screen
ed and trainer! before entering the pro
gram." says administrator lean Phelps.
"They don't necessarily maul to have
had any experience working wit hr
children, but it is very important that
volunteers have good self-esteem They
must also be patient, flexible and
loving." •
Volunteers are ulso screened to make
sun; that they have positive self-images
in order to hr; abb; to forms on the
children, says Rodriguez.
Alex Kolodkin, a 28-year-old
graduate student in molecular biology.
hiis bean volunteering for the program
since lust fall.
kolodkin is involved in the transput
tution aspect of the program. Hucause
parents don’t often have the time,
money or mobility to drive their
children to the nursery, the state pro
vides a vehicle to transport them.
Rodriguez says.
kolodkin volunteers his time one
morning a week and transports about 12
children each trip.
"Although I interact somewhat with
the children. I would like to he able to
s|>end time with them at the nursery.”
he says.
“I'm interested in the programmes a
social service," he says. "I think child
7’m interested in the pro
gram as a social service. 1
think child abuse is a pro
blem which needs to be
dealt with.*
— Alex Kolodkin
abuse is a problem which mssis It* I*
dealt with.” °
The nursery als«i receives volunteers
through tin1 University's KSCAI’K pro
gram!- which oilers a practician lor
students volunteering a minimum
nunllier ol hours
Cjrystal Thdmas. a 22-year-old human
services major, is a practician worker
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CAMPUS
w ho usually puts in six hours a week at
lho nursery.
"The ESCAPE program really ties in
with jny major." she says, "because I
plan to work with abused and neglected
kids as a career."
Thomas recommends the prog™™ as
a way to get involved in volunteer pro
grams suc h as the nursery.
"At first I wasn't sure what sort of
kids I wanted to work with.” she says.
"After doing my practicum work
through the ESCAPE program. I've
decided what I want to do The nursery
is a wonderful, incredible place to
work."
Practicum members often continue to.
work as volunteers after the term Is
over. Rodriguez savs.
I’he program also involves graduate
students from the Clinical Services
Special Education program who also
do practicum work at the nursery
Rodriguez says. Craduale students' often
do full developmental screening on... ,
ear i> child to see il tliey nuttli further '
help in the program she savs
both Rodriguez and Phelps stress the..',
importance of volunteers at the nursery .
“Because of the large mimlierof
volunteers, the kids get the individual .
attention that they need.'' Phelps savs ■
In lieing .1 volunteer vou almost
always gain more Ilian .you give. /
Without our volunteers, the program
couldn’t go on." .* • •
Students interesterl in volunteering at J'
the relief nurserv (•in 1 oelai I . |u«ly
Brown king at 4M4~0?02 ;•