Lucy was referred to Children’s House through the Arkansas Department of Human Services when she was 3 years old. She lived with her biological parents, but an investigation was in progress because of evidence that her basic needs of good food, clean clothing and a safe home environment were not being provided by her family. When Lucy came to Children’s House, she didn’t have any of her immunizations and her teeth were rotted to her gums. She had serious developmental delays and had to be placed in the youngest classroom at Children’s House. It became quickly apparent to the staff that Lucy would require every therapeutic service Children’s House had to offer including physical, occupational, speech and mental health therapies.

Lucy suffered from severe insecurities, anxiety disorder and a restricted range of emotions when she first came to Children’s House. She was quiet and withdrawn most of the time and would refuse to speak at times even when her instructors and therapists would ask her a question.

Lucy was still in diapers at the time and Children’s House staff noticed and documented her continual stress and sometimes panicked behavior when being cleaned and having her diaper changed. One day, a staff member noticed that Lucy’s private areas were red and chapped. The staff immediately called the Child Abuse Hotline. Lucy received a sexual abuse examination and evidence was found that confirmed what Children’s House staff discovered and she was placed in foster care that very day.

Her teachers and therapists spoke with Lucy about being placed into foster care. The staff assured Lucy that the Children’s House bus driver would be there to pick her up at the foster home. The next morning the Children’s House Bus arrived at Lucy’s foster home, as promised. Children’s House continued to work with Lucy and began to notice a smiling, happy, trusting child beginning to emerge. Lucy’s foster parents worked closely with the staff of Children’s House to insure the effectiveness of her treatment. Lucy still goes to Children’s House, but her foster parents recently adopted her. Children's House is continuing to provide therapy to Lucy and is confident she will do well when she enters kindergarten.