Our Why

Our Why

For 38 years, Vanessa Behan has kept kids safe and strengthened families. During our first year of operation, we provided 427 child visits—now, we average over 600 visits per month.

Vanessa Behan envisions a community where child abuse does not exist and every child and caregiver are equipped to thrive. Our work evolved from the tragic story of Vanessa Kay Behan, a Spokane girl who died from child abuse injuries at the age of two. Following her death, a group of local community members established our organization so that parents would have a safe place to bring their children in the face of crises. Our primary services are:

• 24-hour childcare for children from birth to twelve years old
• Parent education
• Stay, Play, & Learn drop-in center for families
• Referrals to other community agencies

Watch the video below to hear from our founder, Bill Bialkowsky, and other community members about our why.

Why Early Childhood Matters

Every day, Spokane County accepts 17 referrals of child abuse and neglect. According to Spokane Trends, confirmed reports of child abuse and neglect are 43% higher in Spokane County than the Washington State average, totaling 6,035 cases in 2022.

The earliest years profoundly shape a child’s future:

• 90% of brain development occurs before kindergarten (Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child)
• Children living in poverty are twice as likely to experience delays in social-emotional development
• The American Academy of Pediatrics confirms the “strong correlation between social-emotional development and school and life success”

Research in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry shows that when stress levels exceed a family’s coping capacity, it can lead to child abuse and neglect. When families face prolonged stress: “It can become toxic and interfere with the development of the child’s brain and body… resulting in vulnerability that can have detrimental effects on the child’s physical, mental, and emotional health.”

We believe that for our community to thrive, we need to come alongside caregivers during moments of stress, equipping them with resources and a moment to breathe so that they never parent in a way they don’t want to.

In providing respite for both caregivers and children, we mitigate the damaging long-term effects of poverty, stress, and adverse childhood experiences on the developing brains of children who visit Vanessa Behan. With a child-centered approach, we provide purposeful opportunities for children to develop emotional regulation, problem solving, collaboration, self-esteem, and social-emotional skills.

We are planting seeds of resilience that will grow with these children, empowering them to navigate life’s challenges with strength and hope. Though we may not witness every outcome, we trust in the transformative potential of early intervention—each moment of care and connection is an opportunity for a brighter future.

Our 2024 Impact & Who We Serve

We provided 86,147 hours of safe care across 7,241 child visits last year. Over 90% of the families we serve are experiencing poverty, which brings with it immense stressors that weigh on both caregivers and their children. 56% of requests for care are from single-parent households, and 21% of families we serve are unhoused or in transitional housing. We referred families to additional community resources over 800 times. We distributed 452,023 basic essentials to families with limited financial resources, including diapers, wipes, and formula.

Kids Can’t Wait

Last year, we received 11,000 calls from families who were feeling overwhelmed or were experiencing crisis. Due to limited staffing resources, we had to make the difficult decisions to turn away 4,000 of these requests—a 36% turn-away rate.

Each declined call represents a family in our community reaching out for help during a vulnerable moment. We are raising additional funding to expand our capacity to meet this growing need, ensuring we can keep children safe and serve as a lifeline for parents when they need it most.

Hear From Our Families

In 2024, Washington State University and the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center conducted research to examine how emergency respite care at Vanessa Behan supports family wellbeing. The study gathered feedback from parents and caregivers who accessed our services during challenging times. We invite you to hear directly from families about their experiences.