History
Owned and operated by the Christ Child Society of Detroit, Christ Child House has been providing care for abused and neglected children in the Detroit area since 1948. In that year the agency’s first house opened as a temporary shelter for children whose families were experiencing a temporary crisis, such as unemployment or illness. With a capacity of 11 children, the permanent staff of three cared for the children with the help of volunteers. Since opening its doors, Christ Child House has evolved dramatically as the needs of children and families have changed. Today, Christ Child House is an intensive residential treatment center licensed by the State of Michigan to provide services to 30 boys, ages 5-15, who suffer from severe developmental, emotional, and behavioral impairments as a result of years of damaging abuse and neglect.

Mission
The mission of Christ Child House is to “provide quality professional and comprehensive treatment programs for children and families at risk through therapeutic services focused on individual treatment.” Christ Child House’s philosophy—“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood”—guides the agency in its special mission.

Goals
The goals of Christ Child House are to help the boys in the agency’s care to overcome their traumatic pasts, to prepare each child to live and function effectively and successfully in a family home in the community, and to place those children waiting to be adopted with a “forever family.” To achieve these goals, Christ Child House provides an extensive treatment milieu consisting of intensive therapy and casework, psychiatric services, specialized nursing, adoption, educational support services, therapeutic recreation, after-care services, and more. Christ Child House maintains a highly professional trained staff. Each member of this team is dedicated to building strong and loving bonds with the boys while creating a therapeutic, highly structured individualized treatment environment that will help the boys to recover and rebuild their lives.