Every year, around 1,500 children, ages newborn to 17, are admitted to the Home by law enforcement because they are homeless, abused, neglected, abandoned or runaways. Younger children from newborns through 12 years old are transferred to one of our emergency foster care homes with open arms, while teens age 13 - 17 years old stay at The Home for the first 72 hours (excluding holidays and weekends) while their case and any allegations are investigated by Kansas Department for Children and Families.

To meet the needs of children in crisis, the Home depends on caring resource families to assist in providing supervision, physical care, recreation, transportation, nutrition and a stable environment; while at the same time, the professionals at WCH focus on ensuring the child's safety.

BRIDGES is a multi-site program providing safe and stable housing, counseling, education, life skills coaching and vocational preparation for 16 to 21 year olds facing challenges such as “aging out” of foster care, pregnancy and homelessness.

Gerard House

The Gerard House Program provides stable housing and supportive services to pregnant and parenting teens to give them and their babies a healthy start.

CrossRoads Emergency Shelter is a program that provides runaway, homeless and at-risk youth who are 18-21 with a safe place to sleep.

The Wichita Children's Home's newest program is the CrossRoads Drop-in Shelter located at 1110 N Emporia St., Wichita, KS 67214. CrossRoads is a low-barrier drop-in center for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth who are 21 or younger. Here, youth are able to access free WIFI, eat two hot meals a day, shower, do laundry, and work with knowledgable and caring staff who can help secure them housing, employment, ID cards, and referral services.
Open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Street Outreach Program, is a community service providing rescue and support services to lost, runaway and homeless children as well as children involved in sexual exploitation and human trafficking. In a crisis, please call (316) 262-HOME any time, day or night.

Safe Place provides 24-hour access to counselors through a hotline number. Area QuikTrip convenience stores serve as safe places for youth and children 12 - 21 years old who are in danger or need someone to talk to during a crisis. If you are in need of immediate help, call (316) 262-HOME.

WCH is a leader in the fight against the sexual exploitation of children. Our Dakhil Safe Home is Kansas’ first and only Emergency Shelter for victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

The Garver House serves as a long-term placement option for female youth (ages 10-17) who have been identified as victims of human trafficking or are considered to be at risk of human trafficking. It is a comprehensive living program intended to walk with residents as they journey through the stages of struggle, growth, and success. Our primary goal is to empower these young women to heal and reclaim their lives.

Kidzcope provides peer-based grief support for children (ages 3 to 18) and their caregivers at no cost to the family. Reflective listening, discussion-based activities, and expressive arts help each individual give outward expression to their grief. The nine-week program provides a safe environment and supportive network, allowing each family member to build connections with peers, learn life-long coping skills, alleviate feelings of isolation, and gain tools for reconnection and communication within the family.