One of Long Beach’s best kept secrets in the nonprofit sector, Childnet Youth and Family Services aims to provide social, emotional and educational support and development to underprivileged and troubled children.
A group of local civic leaders founded Childnet in Long Beach in 1970 because they cared about the plight of disadvantaged youth in the community. Childnet now has seven locations and over 7,800 clients in five counties throughout Southern California.
“Back then, it was just a 40-bed residential treatment facility for delinquent boys,” Kathy Hughes, president and CEO of Childnet, said.
Since that time, the company has evolved to care for children, from infancy to young adulthood, and has added various programs including foster care and adoption services, a school for children who are struggling in the public school system and mental health services.
Childnet’s main guiding principle behind these services is to teach personal responsibility and emphasize the need for a strong, unified and supportive family unit.
Childnet has also established a “Continuum of Care,” a board of directors and leadership who coordinate to recognize the various difficulties facing children as well as implementing the many specialized methods, services and types of care and attention the children will need access to in order to succeed.
“We do have a broad range of services all under one corporate umbrella!” Hughes said. “Everyone’s on the same page. When everyone’s on the same page, it’s just better for the kid. The more professional staff in the room that are all on the same page is better, and that’s why we’ve got a lot of different programs, so that we can meet whatever needs come our way.”
This distinctive feature allows staff to support their clients as they strive toward developing a stable family system and/or taking the necessary steps to successfully transition to and maintain living an independent lifestyle.
Each program has different qualifications for eligibility, which range from medical necessity to referrals from the school district and the county. Potential adoptive or foster parents must meet stringent standards.
“These kids have already been traumatized by their families of origin, so you want them to be able to go into a highly functional, qualified, loving and nurturing home,” Hughes said.
Those interested in more information about Childnet can visit childnet.net or call (562) 426-8362.
