THRIVING. Rancho del Niño San Xxxxxxxx is at the SURVIVING level in this category. The current employees do not have a document describing their work, since the team performs a little of all the functions of the house. Although there is a vacation policy, it has only been applied in the case of the cook and the administrator, since the nuns in charge of the children’s care do not have a single day off. In the case of vacations, these have to be conditioned until they have some extraordinary support from their parish or the bishopric defines whether or not to send another nun to cover the vacations or absence of one of the mothers. As for staff training in child care standards, child participation, and other child-related topics, the team has received only minimal training and has had no follow-up or evaluation. Thus, they operate under common sense and in some cases using strategies that have worked with other children. Regarding licensing and governance requirements, the orphanage will soon begin the construction of the necessary plans and programs to have an internal civil protection plan. Also, the management and processing of other important documents to obtain its operating license. Although progress has already been made, it is necessary to have the support of an external consultant to carry out all the operational work and integration of documentation in order to achieve certification. In order for the orphanage to move up a level in this category, it is necessary to have an inter- disciplinary work team, a social worker, psychologist and nurse, who will join their efforts to make a correct distribution of work in the orphanage. This would cover important areas of management and training, in which each position provides feedback to the other and in turn helps the caregivers to improve their attention to the children by having less workload in other areas. Any progress in this area depends on hiring personnel and having a specific work plan for each area (social worker, psychologist, nurse, two caretakers and maintenance manager) which was already mentioned in other categories Hire the support of a local consultant to carry out the internal civil protection plan Strategic Initiatives HIRE TECHNICAL TEAM PROJECT OWNER Xxxxxxxx/Xxxxxx ESTIMATED FUNDING $5k-$10k Yearly IMPROVEMENT OF SECURITY MEASUREMENTS PROJECT OWNER Xxxxxxxx/Xxxx ESTIMATED FUNDING <$5k CIVIL PROTECTION INTERNAL PLAN PROJECT DESCRIPTION Xxxxxxxx/Xxxxxx ESTIMATED FUNDING <$5k (Only the cost to h...
THRIVING. In this category, Casa Hogar La Xxxxxx is at the THRIVING level. The rules of the home are clear, consistent, and explained to the children according to their age and level of understanding. Consequences for infractions are based on positive discipline. Children are called by their preferred name and never by demeaning nicknames by caregivers, staff, or other children. Xxxxxxx is a special case who lives in this home. From her early childhood, specialists had no favorable prognosis for her due to multiple physical and mental health conditions. However, she has been integrated into a school for children with autism despite not meeting 100% of the criteria for autism. Through this opportunity, she has achieved things that were previously thought impossible. Staff at the home note that she is overcoming her limitations and integrating favorably into the activities of the school and is now the most independent child that they have in the home. There is little or no turnover of caregivers, which allows for greater emotional stability of the children and supports a family environment. Caregivers meet with the director and assistant director to identify needs, receive guidance, and discuss behavioral improvement ideas that will help them effectively teach and discipline the children. They also receive guidance on how to create a more stable, loving, and nurturing environment. The caregivers have three days off, and when there is limited capacity or a vacation period, they coordinate to cover this time. For their part, the caregivers play continuously with the children and have traditions that are carried out together by everyone living in the home on a weekly or monthly basis. One example is when one of the children has a birthday, they are woken up by singing “las mañanitas” and a cake is cut. Also, there are special prizes for those who fulfill their school and cleaning chores (tacos, going to the Oxxo, buying their own bread, dessert, chips, Sunday spa day, sleepover, going to the store, etc). Bring caregivers together at least once a month with a specialist to discuss behavioral ideas that will help them effectively teach and discipline the children and ensure that these strategies are put into practice. Right to Healthcare SURVIVING SUSTAINING
THRIVING. Currently, Casa Hogar La Xxxxxx is at the THRIVING level in this category. The home’s facilities were inspected by firefighters seven months ago and no risks were identified. They are in compliance with local authority requirements and codes as well. There is an internal civil protection plan, but it has not yet been approved for revalidation. There is an emergency plan in case of fire, flood, loss of water, or loss of electricity. There is also a small generator in case of a power outage. Safety issues have been addressed and the facilities are safe and able to withstand rain and wind. Currently, a perimeter fence is in the process of being built that will not only enclose the property but also increase the safety of the home and the children. The home has water that is safe to drink, free of bacteria or contaminants, and is easily accessible for the children to drink. At this home, there are available, qualified, and reliable maintenance personnel to address the ongoing and preventative needs of the property. There is a written logbook to address the maintenance of the property, however, it is not kept updated on an ongoing basis. Each bathroom and living room has at least one working light bulb. The house has sufficient drainage that does not contaminate the drinking water supply. Sink faucets and shower heads in the children’s bedrooms are in good condition, except for two showers that are damaged. The outdoor facilities are well-lit to enhance children’s safety. The electrical infrastructure is sufficient for electrical needs and is safely connected. Maintenance of light bulbs, electrical outlets, and wiring is performed on a regular basis. On numerous occasions there have been water leaks and flooding in different areas of the home due to old plumbing installations including pipes built with obsolete materials such as mud. This situation poses a major challenge for the home since they do not yet have a plan for improving these water installations. Create a plan to address the water installations in order to know where pipes are and easily identify the source of the problem when leaks occur. Address corrective and preventive maintenance needs and record work properly in the logbook. Replace the two damaged shower heads. Right to Quality Education SURVIVING SUSTAINING
THRIVING. Currently, Rancho de los Niños is at the level of THRIVING in this category. All children who live here are enrolled in school starting from kindergarten to 6th grade, and everyone attends classes most of the time. There is an air-conditioned space inside the home for children to have access to the internet and computers. Normally after school, children go to this space where they receive counseling, eat and do school homework with Xxxxxxx (reading teacher) and Xxxx (mathematics teacher). They have been performing these routines for the past two years since Xxxx and Xxxx were hired full-time at home during the pandemic. The teachers support each other and are divided according to the children’s grades. All this support has helped the children 7 years and older to be able to identify and articulate the sound of each letter of the alphabet. Children aged 9 and older can perform basic mathematical operations, and children aged 11 and older are able to read and write at the third-year level or higher. To follow up on the analysis of grades, Xxxxxx checks the progress of each child every time grades are available. Xxxx supports him in this task and together they identify the needs to be addressed. In addition, they inform caregivers of the progress or setbacks of children in order to implement a plan for a child’s improvement. The house has funding and housing available for young adults so that they can pursue additional education after their time at the home. Currently, Xxxxx (a preschool teacher) provides counseling for children who are not of school age. With respect to young adults with special needs, they are taught by a psychologist to promote development. Furthermore, qualified evaluations are used by Xxxxxxxx (psychologist) and the school USAER program to identify children with learning problems. Rancho has a selection of books (less than 75) which are in Spanish and appropriate for the age range of children. These books are available in each house for easy access. It has been determined that more books are needed since there is not a large variety. Many children have already read all the books and lack additional reading material when they are not interested in reading the same books again. For her part, Xxxxx reads to younger children using age-appropriate reading techniques. All school-age children have supplies, toys, and materials according to their developmental needs and have frequent access to art material. However, more quantity and diversity o...
THRIVING. In this category, Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer is at the level of THRIVING. On a regular basis, children receive annual medical checkups including lab tests, vision and lens fittings, and dental care. In these last two areas, priority has only been given to the most urgent or high-priority cases such as children who have dental pain or whose school performance is compromised due to visual problems. This home has historically had children with very particular and complex medical needs due to rare conditions. Such is the case of one girl with nephrotic syndrome who must be monitored on a permanent basis, a boy who will need heart surgery, and a girl with intellectual disabilities, all of whom constantly visit the doctor for follow-up. Over the past three years, most of the home’s budget has been directed to addressing these conditions. Additional support from other sources for emergency medical needs has become necessary. Recently, Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer received support in fundraising for medical, dental, and visual check-ups. As a result, 3 children were identified as needing orthodontic follow-up and treatment, which will require $300 USD per month for at least 1 year. In order for Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer to continue to advance in this category, the home will need to secure the necessary support to provide care for three children to receive orthodontic treatments and follow-up. Secure support for orthodontic care to cover 3 children in the amount of $300 USD per month for at least 1 year Right to Nutrition SURVIVING SUSTAINING THRIVING Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer is at the level of THRIVING in this category. Children receive nutritious and appetizing meals in a hygienic manner. Meals also include protein in different forms as well as sufficient vegetables and fruits. Children have the option to share their food preferences at least once a month and there is an accessible menu so children can see what meals they’ll have for the day. The home has all necessary cooking utensils, which are in good condition and kept clean and safe from contaminants. The kitchen area is clean, tidy, and free of pests. It has good storage, with detergents and cleaning liquids stored in a safe place. Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer is able to provide sufficient food for children through the direct support of two main donors who provide the home with perishable and non-perishable food on a weekly basis. Sometimes they receive more food than necessary, in which case Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer donates the food to othe...
THRIVING. Currently Casa Hogar Ebenezer is at the THRIVING level. The house has the documentation proving that the property where the home is located belongs to the institution and is intended only to provide accommodation for children and young people in the orphanage. Therefore, any improvement made to the place is and will only be for the benefit of the children. In terms of licenses and permits, the home has a valid state and national operating license. They are working on the validation of the civil protection folder. As for the team members, Xxx will be looking for one more person to support her in the housework and with the firm intention of bringing 4 new girls to her facilities. Hire 1 caregiver Strategic Initiatives SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEM PROJECT DESCRIPTION Placing a system of 12 security cameras outside and inside the premises in different blind or vulnerable spots in the house with the aim of increasing supervision and improving safety for the children living in the house. This will keeping them protected from any situation of mistreatment, abuse or violence. ESTIMATED FUNDING < $5,000 DIRECTOR’S APARTMENT PROJECT DESCRIPTION Finish the construction of the apartment for the directors, as it is currently 70% complete. At the moment Xxx and Xxxxxx have a small room downstairs that connects to the children’s bedrooms, however this space is very small, damp and is also used as a storage room for clothes, toys and shoes, among other donations that do not have a specific space for storage. ESTIMATED FUNDING $10,000 - $15,000 PERIMETER WALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DESCRIPTION The property of Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer does not have its own boundary with respect to the community. At the back of the property there is only a mesh fence, which has been damaged on countless occasions in order to use the property of Casa Hogar Eben-Ezer as a shortcut and on other occasions, these same intruders have tried to break into the house with the intention of stealing or entering the orphanage. Having a perimeter fence will prevent outsiders from trespassing, damaging the property or attempting to steal, significantly improving the safety of all who live at the orphanage. ESTIMATED FUNDING $15,000 +
THRIVING. Casa Hogar Sion is at the SUSTAINING level in this category. The home is well protected and safe from the surrounding community. Children’s bedrooms are assigned by age and gender. The staff has been trained in positive parenting and discipline alternatives. The home has an abuse prevention policy that applies to all staff working onsite. This also includes visitors, with the firm intention of preventing the children from being victimized by any form of abuse or neglect. The children have received instructions on how to report bullying, and staff training is held every three months on abuse prevention. Part of the policy for protection from abuse is that the home does not allow an adult to be alone with a child. Children’s scheduled outings are always accompanied by an adult member of the home’s staff. The background and references of its employees, as well as those of visitors, are checked by the director, and a copy of a letter stating that they have no criminal record or problems with the law is kept in the staff’s file. As for the children’s files, since they are received upon admission, there is no psychological assessment of each child. This places them in important challenges about the real mental health conditions of the children and about any trauma situation before their arrival at the children’s home since there is no clear and reliable background of the therapeutic needs of the children. Two of the most important problems in the home are the bathrooms and shower facilities throughout the place. Their installments are in very poor condition or do not work, and they do not provide an adequate level of privacy when showering. There is also a deficiency in the lighting in the common areas of the home, which needs to be improved to ensure the safety of the children on the property. In order for Casa Hogar Sion to continue advancing in this category, it is necessary to improve bathroom and shower facilities to ensure the children’s privacy, improve the lighting in common areas, and improve the quality of the children’s playgrounds. They will also need to have psychological evaluations for all children. Improve bathroom and shower facilities to ensure children’s privacy Improve lighting in common areas To have psychological evaluations for all children. Right to Dignity & Freedom SURVIVING SUSTAINING
THRIVING. Currently, Rancho de los Niños is at the SUSTAINING level in this category. They currently have access to medical, dental and vision care. For the physical area, children are seen annually for general review and in the case of dental and visual services, only those children who need it or show any important symptoms are seen. The children have received the necessary vaccinations according to their health cards and thus stay healthy. The staff of the home supports the children with the issue of hygiene and reminds the children of the importance of washing their hands and teeth. The home has identified a pediatrician and hospital to attend emergency cases, which from previous experiences have been reliable and sufficient to meet your health needs. Children brush their teeth at least twice a day and have been instructed on how to maintain good dental health. The home has an emergency medical fund that is available for use, and recently it was used to treat one of the girls for a broken arm. In the case of adolescent girls, they have the necessary personal hygiene products and have also been instructed on how to dispose of these products. There are currently six important cases in the home that need orthodontic checkups; however, there is no budget for this expense and the follow-up that is needed, since they are periods of more than one year of follow-up. Another important area of care is that the home does not have a complete first aid kit in case of emergency. When the DIF has supervised and reviewed this area, Xxxxx has had the support of the local fire department by lending this kit to pass the necessary reviews and audits; however this is not the property of the home, so it is a vulnerable area of attention to children in case of emergency. In order for Rancho de los Niños to advance to the next level in this category, it is necessary to have a complete first aid kit sufficient to meet the needs of the children at the ranch. In addition, funds are needed to send children with orthodontic needs to care and follow-up for treatment and to re-establish the emergency medical fund to make it available for possible eventualities. Having a first aid kit with materials and in sufficient quantities for the number of children in Rancho at an approximate cost of $1,500 USD Follow up for orthodontic treatment of 6 children and general dental treatment of 6 other children at a cost of $600 per month for orthodontics and $250 for general treatments until the end of the...
THRIVING. In this evaluation, Rancho del Niño San Xxxxxxxx FAILED in this category. One of the strongest concerns of the nuns in charge is that they have experience in child care, yet they have never been trained in positive discipline techniques. They are very clear that corporal punishment is not an alternative to discipline, and the techniques they use sometimes do not bring about the change or improvement in behavior that they would hope for. Their resources become limited. They also have not received any training to deal with crisis or trauma situations, and not having a therapist on site makes their work even more challenging. As for policies to prevent any form of abuse or mistreatment of children by a caregiver, no strategy has been implemented. However, the nuns are completely confident that this does not happen because their training as religious and the vocation to the service of the children of the only three caregivers that they are, gives them the peace of mind that this is not a practice among them. Regarding the security of the place, there is a significant degree of concern because the home’s facilities do not have a perimeter fence to protect those who live there in relation to the surrounding community. On numerous occasions, intruders have entered their property and on occasion have used it as a hiding place from the authorities. For the people who visit the home, there is no written code of conduct in which they can be informed of what is expected of them during their visit, in terms of their behavior. In order for Rancho del Niño San Xxxxxxxx to improve in this category, a perimeter wall construction project needs to be created on the property. A code of conduct for visitors also needs to be written and a therapeutic work plan needs to be in place. Build a surrounding fence around the perimeter of the property Create a written code of conduct for visitors When the psychologist is hired, she/he will have to create a work plan Right to Dignity & Freedom SURVIVING SUSTAINING
THRIVING. In this category, Casa Hogar Ebenezer is at the SUSTAINING level. The house has drinking water facilities in good condition and free of contaminants and its pipes have not had any major problems in the last 3 years. The children have clean water to drink and it is readily available and easily accessible when they wish to drink it. Faucets and showerheads throughout the house are in good condition and when there is a problem, repairs are made immediately. These are the main preventive and corrective maintenance activities that Xxxxxx and Xxx perform in the house. The drainage system in the house works properly so that the water is free of any contaminants in the house and the methods of disposal are adequate. As for the electrical installations, the current installations are sufficient for the entire house, however they need to receive general maintenance so that they can function at one hundred percent. Recently there was a short circuit in the main box leaving half of the house without lighting and electricity, and sometimes the light is flickering due to load variations. The outside lighting is sufficient for the front of the building, but the lighting in the back is very poor. This represents a safety problem for the children as the land at the back of the house does not have a dividing wall with the surrounding community and therefore they are somewhat vulnerable. The third floor of the house, where there are two spaces under construction that have not been finished, has no electrical installation for the laundry room and the directors’ apartment. In case of power outages, the house does not have an alternative source of energy in case of emergencies. In case of an incident or fire, the house does not have a water reservoir to deal with any fire contingency. It is very important to mention that due to the location of the house and the narrow streets for access, in case of fire it would be impossible for the fire department to reach this location and there is no fire hydrant in the nearby streets. This observation was made by the fire department itself, making the recommendation to have one or two reserve tanks. In order for Casa Hogar Ebenezer to advance in this category, preventive and corrective maintenance needs to be done on the general electrical installations of the house, the pending wiring needs to be put in place and the installations in this area need to be improved. It also needs to place more lights in the back of the house to ensure the sa...
