CLEVELAND — Caring for kids and keeping them busy is important to Katie Skizenta.

What You Need To Know

  • Laura's Home Women's Crisis Center offers women and children who are in crisis a place to build stability and self-sufficiency

  • They expanded their facility for children

  • The new space will provide child care and education opportunities to residents with kids

 “It is our morning day care time," she said. "So, for the first hour of day care, they have free play. They get to play with whatever fun [toys] we have here."

Skizenta is the family ministry supervisor for The City Mission. In her work, she aides Laura’s Home Women’s Crisis Center. She said the women’s center just opened up their expanded children’s facility.

“Yeah we've moved in, I want to say that was about a month ago at this point,” Skizenta said. “So we haven't been in here for very long. But yeah, we are very excited to come here. This space is so much brighter and more inviting for our children.”

Skizenta said the women’s center houses around 25 family units. While the mothers who live there go to work or attend rehabilitation programming, they can send their children to the new space for child care and education opportunities. 

“We really want them to not just be here and be baby-sat, but also to sincerely grow and thrive and also work through whatever traumas they might have experienced as well,” Skizenta said.

The facility’s expansion also allows the kids a chance to just be kids. Skizenta said many of them are affected by crisis situations like homelessness, drug abuse and domestic violence.

“Sometimes I feel like the domestic violence is directed toward the moms, and so people are like, ‘Well, the kids weren't directly affected by this, so they don't need as much attention as the mom might need at that time,’" She said. "But really, the kids see and hear a lot of violence. I've heard many horror stories about that and it really does impact them moving forward."

So, a part of Skizenta’s work is helping the kids with their healing process. She said it is common for them to experience secondary trauma and suffer from long-term behavioral and mental health issues.

“Here at Laura's Home we are able to connect them with long-term services, both while they're here at Laura's Home and also moving forward so that they can work through that trauma that they might have witnessed or that they just might have been a part of through what their mom has experienced,” Skizenta said.

The supervisor said it is possible for the kids to grow after experiencing or witnessing trauma.

“They can definitely excel," Skizenta said. "Just because they've experienced trauma does not mean that's it. It's not a death sentence. They're still able to go on and accomplish amazing things and we're able to witness that every day.”

Skizenta said the center is going to continue figuring out more ways that they can support the kids. She said she ultimately wants to see them and their mothers thrive.

If you, or someone you know, are in crisis, help is available.