More than 500,000 children were abused and neglected in the United States in 2022. That’s the most recent year for which there is national data, according to the National Children’s Alliance.
When families or guardians in crisis don’t have a place to remove children from potential danger, children may fall victim to that danger.
Crisis nurseries and respite centers can lessen that likelihood.
And there’s a center in Milwaukee that’s been doing that work for more than 30 years. It's call the La Causa Crisis Nursery & Respite Center.
Crisis nurseries were established to provide immediate, temporary, stress relief for parents and caregivers. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, federal funding was set aside to help create such centers.
The La Causa Crisis Nursery and Respite Center began its work in 1990. Director Karl Schoendorf says it helps ease the pressures of stressful situations.
"A lot of time stress is cumulative, and little things can keep adding up and you never know when the whistle might blow so we wanna try to keep the levels of stress down so that that whistle doesn’t blow," he says.
The children can stay at the center for up to 72 hours.
"And so, when the kids are here, hopefully their parents can get some stuff done and can relax a little bit. We take good care of the kids and they like being here and so I think their stress levels go down too. I think as adults we forget when we’re in stress the kids can feel that so it’s kind of nice to get them out of some stuff that’s not always the prettiest," Schoendorf says.
The La Causa Crisis Nursery and Respite Center sits at the corner of South 6th and West Walker streets in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.
I met Schoendorf there for a tour on a quiet morning.
"Now we're coming into our kitchen area where we seat up to 15 folks. We have a counter by our kitchen where the kids can also sit and then it leads into our play area where the kids hang out and do all their activities," he explains. "Our average age here is probably 3, so it's geared a little bit younger, and we can hold up to 12 children — at a time as our maximum."
In the basement there’s a playroom. On the second floor, there are four bedrooms.
"Then we have another play area up here... where they can watch movies. We have two bathrooms, one's handicap accessible and one’s not and one of our bedrooms is kind of pinky for the gals, one is kind of bluey for the boys with three beds in each," Schoendorf says.
The fourth bedroom has four beds and a crib. There's a laundry room for staff to the laundry every day. Schoendorf says there is a stockpile of clothes for children should they need more than what they have for their stay.
There are two full time staff on duty for each of the three shifts throughout the day.
Schoendorf acknowledges that a crisis might not be limited to 72 hours, but the center at least provides space for parents to get some things in order.
"One of the main issues that's a common thread through most families would be poverty. I think that's a common denominator and I think when you add poverty to any issue that might crop up in daily life it just makes things that much harder," he says.
Most of the families the La Causa Nursery and Respite Center serve come from the Milwaukee area, and nearby counties. Half of the children that come through the center are Black, 25% are Hispanic, and 25% are white.
Some of the crises that the families are experiencing are homelessness, domestic violence or someone in the family needing treatment services.
A variety of sources help keep the doors of La Causa open. The center receives a state grant, support from the city of Milwaukee and funding from local foundations. But half of its budget comes from fundraising.
In addition to being able to leave their children at the center for up to three days, parents and guardians can also use it for respite care when they need a break — from a few hours to a full day.
There’s no charge for the overnight or respite care. Rebecca Roberson, a mother of two, has used both options.
"I actually used them multiple times," she says. "Like I've had multiple surgeries so they've kept my kids for me or like I just needed a break, or I got something special going on they will watch my kids for me."
Roberson says more people should know about La Causa.
"They are a very, very big importance to me and my family," she explains. "And my kids love going there so much they'll be like, 'We're going to La Causa today!' So, yeah, they are more than a big help to me."
Roberson says her kids are already looking forward to the next time they can go.
