I believed in the mission statement of the nursery and was proud to work their. Utill I started to face burn out and a huge lack of support. What the nursery asks of Staff is physically impossible. There is a 1 to 4 ratio and a line of sight requirement. There is also a 24 hour help line staff is responsible for. When there is two staff and the phone rings one person is left out of ratio with 8 kids. Admin has been in there positions for a long time. Admin offers no support or solutions, The answer is simply well figure it out or there isn't enough money in the budget to fully staff the facility. I am very disappointed with the crisis nursery. They lie to parents about how upset their kids are. I've seen kids cry almost an entire shift due to separation anxiety and Admin did not send the child home. I've seen sick kids stay when they could go home. I've seen kids attack other kids and admin will still not send that child home. The crisis nursery uses staff and families. The money comes from the hours children are there, not if quality care is attainable with the clients present. Admin is constantly trying to reach capacity with no concern for the children present.
I volunteered at the Crisis Nursery for 6 years. The staff is warm and wonderful, they really care about the kids. I have seen parents come in at the end of their rope, so thankful that there is a safe place for their children. The kids LOVE to stay at the Crisis Nursery!
Review from Guidestar
I have a family member that uses this organization regularly and they are a gift from GOD to her and to the children she has and to my own family. I would love to be able to help her out more often but unfortunately I can't-health problems get in my way. I do not know what she would have done had the Crisis Nursery not been able to assist her.
I have volunteered with this organization for six years. I was first drawn to the Crisis Nursery because of its mission: to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing temporary shelter for children whose families are in crisis. (Preventing child abuse "breaks the cycle" of abuse, since children who are not abused are less likely to become abusers themselves.) I like the fact that the Nursery, now in its 26th year, uses funds effectively and efficiently, staffing five locations 24/7, 365 days/yr, serving the entire St. Louis and St. Charles County areas. The staff helps families resolve crises and keep families together. I have met young mothers in the community who, when they find out that I volunteer with the Crisis Nursery, tell me they are grateful for the support of the Nursery when they needed help. These women are now employed, some attending school, and successfully caring for their children. They are also "paying it forward", trying to help others. When I first became a volunteer with the Crisis Nursery, a staff member related a story to me that really demonstrated the effect that the Nursery has on the lives of children in our community. During introductions at one of the new volunteer orientation meetings, a young woman (a new volunteer) told the group that, at a young age, she had been a "child in the Nursery". As the Volunteer Coordinator gave the group a tour of the Nursery, the young woman looked around and observed, "it looks different, but it feels the same." This is just one example of how the Crisis Nursery impacts and changes lives, not just today, but for future generations of parents. For more information, of if you would like to volunteer, please visit our website at crisisnurserykids.org.
The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery Saves Babies Lives, Keeps Kids Safe and Builds Strong Families! For the past 25 years, we have worked to prevent child abuse and neglect. 99% of the children we have worked with have not experienced abuse or neglect and 99% have returned home! The Crisis Nursery now has 5 locations and 4 Outreach Centers! The St. Louis and St. Charles communities have been very supportive. We have over 300 volunteers that rock babies, read books and take the kids outside to play!