This permanent closure affects the Residential Center only. other Children’s Place programs – Foster/Adoptive Care, Family Housing/Supports and Children’s Place International – continue helping vulnerable children in Chicago and overseas.
At a future date, when we can gather together again, Children’s Place will host an event to honor the Residential Center’s legacy and celebrate the life-changing work that took place there.
A Brief History
Located on Chicago’s Westside, the Children’s Place Residential Center cared for some of the most fragile children in 
Illinois – providing around-the-clock nursing for hundreds of ill and disabled kids who were also victims of abuse or neglect. The program opened in 1991 to serve infants and young children with HIV/ AIDS, one of the first facilities of its kind in the nation. The focus was later widened to include children with other medically-complex conditions.
Recently, much older youth had been placed in the program, including teenagers with significant physical, developmental or cognitive issues. The facility did not have the appropriate space or accommodations to fully meet the needs of these residents, prompting the decision to close the Center.
We are very proud of our Residential Center staff members who worked in the program over the past three decades, providing loving care and support to extremely vulnerable children. These dedicated nurses, childcare workers, social workers and administrators are true champions… as are the scores of volunteers who assisted.
As We Move Forward
Children’s Place Association continues to grow… and our commitment to be a champion for Chicago’s most vulnerable children is stronger than ever. In 2021 we will announce a new initiative that will bring urgently needed services and resources to children facing poverty and neighborhood violence on the city’s Westside.
