Our purpose always is to provide a home for children who have been removed from their family by any county department of Social Services for reasons of abuse, neglect and dependency. Originally we were created to serve only Iredell County DSS. As a result of funding cuts from the Iredell County Commissioners during the economic downturn, our Board of Directors made the decision to move forward and serve any county Department of Social Services in North Carolina. In September of 2012 we officially opened our doors to serve any county in North Carolina for children and youth from birth to age 21. Three of our four homes serve 6 children and our fourth home serves 5 youth ages 16 to 21 for Transitional Living opportunities.
Our capacity can allow us to serve 24 children and youth, at any time. Any child placed in our care has to be in the legal and physical custody of any North Carolina County DSS in accordance with and by court order. Unfortunately, we are unable to serve private placements.
Providing care and a safe home environment with house parents on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the home also provides children such amenities as toys, books, television, home cooked meals, etc. While they are with us, children are taught activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, manners, respect for themselves and others, personal responsibility and responsibility to their community. We encourage our children to attend church but they are not, under any circumstances, forced to worship. Our homes provide a vast improvement over the days when a jail cell was all they had because there was “nowhere else to go”.
Our program provides dedication to excellence in educational support for our youth. With a generous benefactor in our community who wants our youth to have every opportunity to succeed, we are able to provide support for tutoring, special classes, college preparation, and whatever is needed to heal the gaps in their learning that moves them forward to success in education. Their success in education will result in more positive options for a self-sustaining life in the future for them and our community.
SUMMARY
The Children’s Homes of Iredell County, Inc. are licensed bi-annually by the State of North Carolina, Division of Social Services to ensure they are efficient and up to current licensing standards. The sole purpose of our agency is to provide stability for children in traumatic situations. We have attained accreditation through the Council On Accreditation representing our standard for excellence in care for children and youth in need.
Our Board of Directors consists of local citizens who volunteer their time and efforts to oversee the operation of all facets of the Children’s Homes of Iredell County, Inc. Day to day operations are monitored by the Executive Director who is responsible for ensuring compliance in all areas of licensure and accreditation.
Our Residential Program Manager is responsible for staffing, training and supervision of the program reporting to the Executive Director. Our homes are staffed with child care workers on duty to care for children 24 hours a day promoting a family style, homelike environment. Relief assistants provide care during the absence of full time staff during off time to provide consistency of care.
Placement decisions to accept placement is made by the Executive Director based on the needs of the child and the ability of our agency to provide appropriate service and care to the child. There are times that children are not placed based on their needs and our ability to serve them appropriately.
The hope for peace and stability for children during times of trauma is the focus of what we do each day. The child that we care for today may one day be the person who decides what may happen to us. We would hope that they would have memories of compassion and care to draw from to deal with another in a crisis. If they are not shown compassion and caring, there will be no way for them to conceive of it for anyone else.
The children that we care for today are our future, what will it be? The decision is truly in the hands and the hearts of our community.
Thank you for your consideration of our efforts for children and youth without a choice or a hope for a future.
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