New Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety to offer trauma-informed care for victims of domestic violence

This paid piece is sponsored by Children’s Home Society.

The new Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety, formerly Children’s Inn is nearly ready for its first guests.

The new building on the Empower Campus in east Sioux Falls held a ribbon-cutting event Oct. 13. It was designed by Koch Hazard Architects and built by Lloyd Cos. Watch the official event here.

The 48,000-square-foot building doubles the capacity of the previous shelter with 96 beds and 38 bedrooms. Move-in date is Nov. 15.

“Our name and location have changed,” program director Amy Carter said. “But our staff, our services and our commitment to the people we serve is the same.”

The new facility was built to alleviate overcrowding at the previous location, which had been a problem since 2016 and has become increasingly severe. On one night in September, 81 people were staying at the shelter! In a building with 40 beds in 24 bedrooms, that means offices and conference rooms were repurposed as sleeping areas.

“We wish that this shelter was not needed. Unfortunately, that is not the reality,” Carter said.

“In fact, each year we have more than 1,100 intakes. These are women who sacrifice themselves to protect their children. These are people you might know from your church or school. These are families who have lived in fear but can now find peace. This new shelter will provide us with what we need to, in turn, give victims of abuse the services and support they deserve.”

Trauma-informed design

The mission of Children’s Home Society of South Dakota is to prevent, treat and heal trauma. Most individuals coming to the Shelter for Family Safety have experienced trauma. That’s why the new shelter is designed to offer calm, comfort and dignity.

Every feature of the new shelter supports our clients on their journey of hope and healing:

The homelike setting is warm and welcoming; guests can enjoy privacy or opportunities to socialize as they choose.

An enhanced kitchen and dining area and larger family rooms have greater capacity.

There are more indoor and outdoor play spaces, including a climbing wall, to provide additional resources to help children heal.

There are dedicated administrative areas for drop-in crisis visits, case management and support services.

Abundant natural light and outdoor spaces lift spirits.

A hand-built fieldstone wall, made of donated, locally sourced stones, guides visitors to the entrance.

Safety is ensured with state-of-the-art equipment.

Artwork throughout the building promotes peace, wonder and healing.

The Lotus Boutique provides shelter guests with clothing, shoes and jewelry donated by community partners.

A mini-call center allows clients to work remotely for Five Star Call Center and transition to working at home when they depart shelter.

“This space will forever bring dignity, respect and healing to those who find the courage to come to our doors,” Carter said.

Magnitude of the problem

October is Domestic Awareness Violence Month.

If one in three women and one in four men in South Dakota experience domestic violence during their lifetimes, we don’t have to look far to find victims. Some can see it in their friends and family members; others need to look only as far as the mirror.

“There’s still a lot of shame around domestic violence,” Carter said. “Victims may believe they ‘deserve it’ or that that ‘it’s not that bad.’ We encourage people to call our crisis line even if they’re not sure it’s abuse. Talking to someone can really help.”

The population of the Sioux Falls area continues to grow quickly. People from smaller South Dakota towns and other areas of the country flock here for jobs, good schools and our excellent quality of life. Domestic abuse can occur in any family, so as the number of residents rises, the number of shelter guests also increases.

Fortunately, Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety is ready to serve more clients, today and into the future.

To learn more about the Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety, click here or call 605-338-4880