About the Nonprofit
Visit Our Website
In 1989, a Children’s Court Advisory Board was created in Walworth County, Wisconsin, to bring together professionals from diverse disciplines, along with caring citizens, to address the growing concern of child maltreatment. For 20+ years, the Advisory Board worked to change laws that affected children who had been abused, while developing protocols to better serve local needs.
In 2009, the Walworth County Alliance for Children (WCAC) was formally established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In 2013, the WCAC opened its new facility, which was designed to bring professional service providers together in a non-threatening, compassionate environment to discuss abuse allegations with children and families of all races and economic status—all under one roof to reduce trauma and support healing. Everything at the Tree House is child centered. It was designed to look like a home and create a sense of safety and security for children and their families.
In 2017, the nonprofit name was changed to Tree House Child and Family Center, and in 2020, the facility was renamed the Margaret C. Downing Tree House and Family Center in honor of the former Board President and longtime supporter.
WHO WE ARE TODAY
It is the Tree House’s mission to promote safe, strong, and healthy environments for children and families through equitable access to child abuse prevention, education, and resource support. Within our facility, the Tree House is proud to have the Children’s Wisconsin Walworth County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) and Child and Family Counseling (CFC) in residence to provide services and healing to children and families who have experienced a child abuse allegation. As a stand-alone nonprofit, the Tree House is committed to serving as a leader in addressing the child abuse prevention needs in Walworth County.
Below is a brief overview of the many ways that Tree House now provides year-round child abuse education, services, and resource support.
How the Tree House Supports Parents & Primary Caregivers:
· Healthy Pregnancy Happy Baby: Offered three times per year in partnership with Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services, this six-week prevention program is designed to improve outcomes for pregnant teens/young parents and their children through increased knowledge of parenting and child development.
· Out & About Mom Walks*: In the summer, the Tree House hosts monthly community walks to bring moms, grandmothers, foster moms, adoptive moms, surrogate moms, mother figures, and moms-to-be together with medical providers while creating a support network and increasing parenting knowledge.
· Empowering Caregivers: Offered two times per year, this 8-week program is designed to provide resources and a support network for those raising grandchildren, kinship, or nonbiological children through changing family circumstances.
· CARE Support Group*: A new initiative presented in partnership with Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services, this six-week program helps build positive supports for caregivers of children, grandchildren, kinship, and non-biological children of addicted parents.
· Theresa Stalzer Little Library*: The Tree House offers a free “take-a-book” resource on our grounds, managed and curated by our Program Director to provide families with year-round, 24-hour access to parenting and childcare books.
How the Tree House Supports Children, Schools, & Child-Serving Organizations:
· Holiday Elves & Baskets from Bunnies: The Tree House works with anonymous community volunteers who donate time and treasure to provide holiday gifts and Easter baskets to children in need of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs).
· Monique Burr Foundation Child Safety Matters®*: The Tree House partners with schools throughout Walworth County to bring this comprehensive, evidence-based child abuse prevention curriculum into PreK-5th grade classrooms.
· Tree House Memorial Scholarship*: The Tree House provides an annual $3,000 scholarship to a Walworth County graduating senior who has demonstrated a positive impact on the children of our community and who plans to continue serving children through their post-high school studies.
· Trainings and Materials*: From Parenting-On-The-Go Bags to Darkness to Light Stewards of Children trainings to Screen Kids Healthy Technology Boundaries materials and training to Power of Play workshops and more, the Tree House provides access to evidence-based child abuse prevention information and family strengthening resources to schools, regulated childcare providers, and other child-serving organizations.
How the Tree House Supports Professional Service Providers:
· Child Maltreatment Response Training: The Tree House coordinates and provides financial support for ongoing Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) training across law enforcement, District Attorney’s office, Corporation Counsel, Health and Human Services, Forensic Interviewers, Forensic Medical Providers, and Child Advocates.
· Behavioral Health Networking Breakfasts*: The Tree House partners with Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services to bring behavioral health providers together on a quarterly basis to discuss the growing needs in our community.
How the Tree House Supports the Community:
· Family Strengthening Month (formerly known as Child Abuse Prevention Month): Throughout the month of April, the Tree House conducts a month-long child abuse awareness campaign in partnership with numerous child- and/or family-focused nonprofits throughout Walworth County.
· National Night Out: As part of an annual nationwide initiative, the Tree House partners with Crimestoppers on the first Tuesday in August to present a completely free and fun annual community-building event on the Walworth County Fairgrounds that promotes positive relationships between law enforcement and communities,
· Walworth County Child and Family Resource Directory*: A free publication compiled annually by the Tree House, the Directory is created to help raise awareness of the many resources and support services that are available to children and families throughout the community.
· Presentations: The Tree House welcomes the opportunity to give child abuse prevention/family strengthening presentations to schools, churches, organizations, and businesses throughout Walworth County.
How the Tree House Supports the CAC and CFC in our Facility:
· Building & Grounds: To ensure a continued safe, secure, and comforting environment for children and families, we maintain the Tree House facility and grounds on a year-round basis.
· Therapist Support: To meet the growing need for therapy services in our community, we provide annual funding to Children’s Wisconsin for a .5 child therapist position at the CFC.
· Positive Body Image Expressive Art Therapy Group: To strengthen self-identity and self-confidence for adolescents recovering from a traumatic experience, we provide all supplies for an art therapy program offered 2-3 times per year by a Children’s Wisconsin art therapist within the Tree House facility.
· Comfort Closet: The Tree House provides comfort items—snacks, juiceboxes, water, blankets, toys, etc.—that are made available to children and families during CAC forensic interviews and medical evaluations, as well as CFC therapy appointments.
