Where I Stand — Peggy Leavitt: Place for special kids

Thursday, Aug. 23, 2001 | 9:25 a.m.

Editor's note: In August Where I Stand is written by guest columnists. Today's writer, Peggy Leavitt, is manager of Child Haven.

ONE EVENING as I was paying for my purchase at a local department store, the clerk noticed my Child Haven pin, which I always wear, and commented, "Oh, you work where the bad kids go." I was not surprised at her lack of knowledge about the services offered at Child Haven as I have learned this is a common misconception among many citizens of our community.

So I welcome this opportunity to tell the residents of Las Vegas about Child Haven, Clark County's only public shelter for abused and neglected children ages 3 days to 17 years. Child Haven, which is a Division of the Clark County Department of Family and Youth Services, is nationally recognized for its services to the thousands of very special children who come through our doors each year.

When I talk to people about Child Haven, they are always curious about the types of circumstances that result in children being placed here. It is difficult to describe a "typical" case, because each situation is very individualized. However, there are certain categories of abuse and neglect cases that we commonly see.

The most unthinkable type of abuse is that which is inflicted on infants and toddlers. Because they are the most vulnerable of our population and obviously do not have a voice or a way to protect themselves, these small babies account for the bulk of Child Haven's population. The average daily population of Child Haven is about 130 children and usually half of these children are infants and toddlers.

Even seasoned veterans in the area of abuse and neglect cannot get used to seeing babies with skull fractures, burns, broken bones and bruises all over their little bodies. We have seen children who will be permanently and profoundly disabled as a result of being shaken by a raging, out-of-control parent. A very common sight at Child Haven are newborn babies who are born with drugs in their system or have been permanently affected by their mothers drinking during pregnancy.

Fortunately, Child Haven has a Developmental Assessment Program, which identifies the delays in children ages 5 and younger caused by horrible abuse and neglect, and arranges for specialized follow-up services. The Developmental Assessment Program has met with remarkable success as we have witnessed miraculous changes in the children receiving services.

The elementary and teenage population at Child Haven have also suffered from the ravages of many types of abuse and neglect -- two of the most common being the horror of domestic violence and sexual assault. Child Haven offers uniquely designed services for both these areas. Operation Child Haven is an innovative program that provides specialized investigations and individual and group counseling for victims of domestic violence. SAINT (Sexual Abuse Investigative Team) opened in 1990 and provides an multi-disciplinary and child-friendly approach in investigating sexual abuse and is the recipient of many local and national awards for its outstanding services.

The behavioral treatment program in place at Child Haven for the older children teaches them social skills and effective ways to address family problems. This program has also received national attention and has been replicated in public shelters in California.

Most of the children at Child Haven go to school on campus in the Agassi Center for Education, which is run by the Clark County School District. Attending school at Child Haven is often the first success many abused and neglected kids have experienced in school.

The magnificent school building we have, due to the generosity of Andre Agassi, has a state-of-the-art computer system, which allows us to offer children individualized schooling, based on their grade levels and their unique needs. Child Haven has a campus setting for the 3,400 children we serve each year with the children being housed in cottages according to their ages and gender.

Because Child Haven is a temporary placement for children until arrangements are made by Child Protective Services for permanent placement, our population changes daily. A child's length of stay varies from a few hours up to four months, but half of our children are released within the first three days to return home with support services or to live with relatives.

The children who reside at Child Haven for longer periods of time typically are placed in foster homes. As important as it is for our community to understand the role Child Haven plays in the protective services arena, describing the program does not begin to convey the incredible children who reside here.

Despite the trauma these children have suffered, they are resilient, spirited and charming. When meeting these special children, you sense their vulnerability but their great courage and strength as well.

So when I am asked if I work where "the bad kids go," I always quickly respond that quite the contrary, I am privileged to work at a very special and safe "haven" for children who are victims and who have no responsibility for the terrible life situations that they have had to face. It is my hope that the readers of this column can join with me in educating others about Child Haven, a Clark County program in which all Las Vegans can take pride.