Children's Services

Breaking the Cycle

The children of substance-abusing mothers often suffer silently during their mother’s addiction. Multiple episodes of homelessness coupled with the unstable lifestyle associated with parental addiction, have caused sporadic school attendance or multiple school changes during a school year. As a result they often fall behind in primary subjects and lack the resources to catch up. In addition, many children experience neglect or are removed from their mother’s custody during her active addiction, leading to abandonment issues and attachment disorders.

Services

In addition to supportive family counseling aimed at strengthening families and overcoming past traumas, Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS offer programs to address the specific needs of our child participants.  

• All child residents receive a full screening and assessment to identify learning problems and inform individualized intervention plans.  
• State-of-the-art Learning Centers, designed and installed by Homeless Children’s Education Fund, provide age-appropriate educational resources for the children, youth and parents. Each center is equipped with computers, educational software and a lending library, and offer afterschool activities that provide educational, social, and emotional support.  
• In cooperation with East Liberty Development Corporation and the Negley Neighborhood Alliance, Sojourner House MOMS spearheaded development of the MOMS Green Play Yard, a sustainable playground built from recycled materials that replaced two blighted, demolished properties adjacent to our apartment complex.