About Us

A Home with a Heart

The Wichita Children's Home was founded in 1888 as the city's first orphanage to "support and care for destitute and homeless children." Today, the Home offers the only emergency, temporary, residential care for children in our community. The Home is open 24/7 and serves children from birth to 22 years of age in foster homes or in the shelter.

WCH realizes child abuse, family dysfunction and substance abuse problems can never be completely eliminated. Yet, we continue to raise awareness, acting as an advocate for healthy families and working to minimize negative impact on children of the community.

WCH actively promotes children's rights and supply preventive information to help families heal themselves. By empowering families to change destructive behaviors and alter the paths of their lives, the Home is helping to create healthier futures for area children.

Admission in the Home

Children are admitted by law enforcement, social workers, parents in crisis, and, sometimes, they admit themselves. Most children and youth are brought to us due to allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment, exploitation, homelessness or running away from home. When parents are in crisis and have no one to safely care for their child, on a moment's notice WCH can be a respite. Our Foster Care program provides a safety zone for infants, toddlers and grade-schoolers thanks to foster parents who undergo specialized training and generously open their hearts and their homes 24/7. BRIDGES is a 2-phase program for adolescents ages 16-21 who need a safe and stable living environment but lack adequate family support. Youth who are “aging out” of foster care, are pregnant or parenting, homeless or facing similar challenges, get the guidance they need in a dorm-like or apartment setting as they transition to adulthood. Gerard House, with a 30-year mission of ensuring that pregnant teens and their babies get the services they need for a healthy start, continues its compassionate care under the roof of WCH.

Beyond the Home

WCH’s Street Outreach Services (SOS) focuses on engaging runaway and homeless youth with services that help stabilize their lives. With the help of many community partners, SOS operates our community’s Safe Place crisis line to ensure that youth in crisis get the help they need. SOS also conducts safety and risk reduction workshops for area middle and high school students. CrossRoads Drop-in Shelter is a place where homeless, runaway and at risk youth can establish positive relationships with adults and be connected with the support and resources they need most. Moving Onto Motherhood (MOM) is a community-based program that reaches out to pregnant and parenting teens to assist with basic needs, parenting education and life skills that can change two lives at a time for the better.

Child Nutrition Program

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
For more information, see the USDA Nondiscrimination Statement.

If you are interested in participating in our wellness committee or wellness activities please contact p_williams@wch.org or 316-684-6581 for additional information.

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