An "Island of Safety"
1309 West Hill St, Urbana, IL 61801
Administration: (217) 337-2731 . Crisis Line: (217) 337-2730
Director and Staff
Executive Director |
Program Director |
Volunteer Coordinator |
Special Events |
Administration Assistant |
Administrative Assistant |
Business Manager Development Director |
The Heart of Crisis Nursery... Program Staff
Family Workers
The Family Workers have a myriad of responsibilities. If you call Crisis Nursery's crisis line, this is who will answer the phone. The staff is responsible for scheduling crisis and respite care, maintaining appropriate adult/child ratio with volunteers and staff that come in daily, making suitable referrals when necessary, completing necessary DCFS paperwork, and most importantly, offering support to our clients. You will find them out on the floor interacting with children when volunteers are low. Family Workers greet clients and visitors and assist with all in-coming donations. You will also see them out in the community making home visits, facilitating parent support groups, education classes and nurturing programs. Each Family Worker has a background in child development or family systems, general counseling and crisis intervention. They are incredibly patient, warm, non-judgmental individuals who have empathy and compassion for every member of our community.
Lead Children's Worker
The Lead Children's Workers are primarily responsible for the emotional and physical needs of children at Crisis Nursery. On top of feeding, bathing, rocking and diapering children, they soothe away fears and worries and listen to words of anger and sadness. These staff members develop daily plans for each child and assign them to volunteers. They make sure children are engaged in age appropriate activities and always follow Crisis' Nursery's philosophy of child interaction. You may see the workers teaching in-service to volunteers, offering guidance on topics such as age appropriate play and positive interactions and communication. They always put children first. Their ability to work in stressful, and complex situations, as well as their interest in the welfare and emotional needs of children, are inspiring.
Children's Worker
You will always see a Children's Worker out on the floor interacting with children and volunteers while modeling our philosophy of child care, as well as taking care of the emotional and physical needs of children at Crisis Nursery. The staff ensures each child in our care has a specific adult with whom they are interacting. They establish healthy bonds with children in order to promote well-being while they are here. They are responsible for documentation of children's anecdotal records which requires much organization when interacting with 12 different children all with different needs. They restock and monitor children's clothing and help in the donation room. These workers are often the first smiling faces children see as they wake in the morning and the last voice they hear whispering words of magic and comfort to help them feel safe enough to close their eyes and drift off to sleep.