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Any child ages birth to 21 in custody of the S.C. Department of Social Services who does not require one-on-one care. Due to recent legislation and court mandates, most youth served by the Home are ages 13 and older, including pregnant and parenting teens and young adults transitioning to independence.

These children have been removed from their homes by the SC Department of Social Services because of abuse, abandonment and/or neglect they have experienced at home. Youth are placed in the Home’s care until a long-term solution is found.

Long-term placements for every child are determined by SCDSS and can range from:

• Reunification with their family
• Kinship care that makes it possible for the child to live with a blood relative rather than the parent
• Long-term foster care or residential care placement
• Termination of parental rights, which allows the child to enter the adoption process
• Preparation for life on their own

Crossroad program has been in existence for six years. The program assisted youth with identifying short, long, and transitional goals. Youths in this program have the opportunity to continue their education or explore different opportunities while working alongside the Educational Coordinator. All youths will obtain employment in the local community and enroll in financial literacy classes to learn how to budget and save their money. Youth will have the opportunity to connect with your established support system and identify new ones. The goal for the youth in the program is to transition to their own permanent housing, reconnect with family, and self-sustainability.

As the need continues to increase for pregnant and parenting youth, the Home continues to be a resource. We assist the youth with routine obstetrician visits followed by primary care. We provide support through the birth process by being in the delivery room, if asked by the youth. We assist the youth by coordinating them with parenting classes. We network with local community daycare providers to assist with different daycare opportunities for their little one. The staff at the Home supports the youth by allowing them to be a teen while developing parenting skills along the way.

• The Children’s Attention Home prides itself on creating a welcoming, nurturing, safe space for all children and youth. LGBTQ+ youth experience much higher rates of homelessness, bullying, assault, and harassment than their peers. They also experience much higher rates of depression and suicide, often due to the stigma and discrimination they have faced. The Children’s Attention Home provides comprehensive, trauma-informed services to all youth in need, including those often marginalized in our community. The Home prioritizes training and coaching for our team, as well as inclusive activities and safe, personalized spaces to ensure we are creating an accepting and affirming place for youth to heal, grow, and thrive.
• The Home continues to adjust and adapt to the dynamics of our population. We allow residents the right to self-expression whether it is preferred clothing, names, or pronouns. We continue to serve transgender youth by giving them a space to be comfortable in all while navigating their path of self-identity. The youth embrace each other with compassion and acceptance. We connect the youth with groups that focus on LGBTQ+, so they can gain a sense of belonging. The Home creates an environment for acceptance and understanding.

Youth who are homeless or at risk for becoming homeless are served through the Home’s Crossroads program. These teens may be staying with friends (“couch surfing”), living in a hotel/shelter, or living in an unsafe, uncertain or detrimental environment. Youth may be from North or South Carolina, or elsewhere.

We are committed to standing in the gap and providing these teens with home, hope and a future. This program gives youth someone to walk alongside them in their journey and give them an avenue to live a successful, independent life. Youth in the Crossroads program have the opportunity to stay at the Children’s Attention Home for up to two years.

During their time at the Home, these residents will work to achieve their personal goals, identify community resources and establish connections, and begin their path to independence.