about charna's kids club
Charna’s Kids Club Sibling Support Program strives to provide a safe, recreational, and therapeutic play space for the well siblings of inpatient pediatric populations.
Recognizing that the journey of the young patient’s well sibling is a unique and important part of the entire family’s healing process, it is the mission of Charna’s Kids Club to provide support strategies for these children. These therapeutic and guided strategies are developed in close collaboration with the Social Work and Child Life departments. Our Program Coordinator and staff members implement these therapeutic strategies which help the entire family, especially the school-aged siblings, in coping with the hospitalization of their brother or sister. Some of these strategies include expressive activities, group peer support, field trips, and special events.
Hospitalized children who are under strict isolation precautions are provided with specially designed creative projects and toys geared toward helping them to cope with their feelings and to feel more empowered. These therapeutic strategies are individually planned according to each child’s emotional needs, developmental stage, and cultural background. To facilitate the expression of their feelings, Charna’s Kids Club Sibling Support Program provides ample and diverse tools such as art materials, musical instruments, and dramatic play items.
Charna’s Kids Club has received awards for its efforts. We are honored that our Program Coordinator and social worker, Alice Bergmann, LMSW, has received recognition for her extraordinary leadership in fulfilling the mission of Charna’s Kids Club. In partnership with other healthcare professionals, Alice Bergmann received the 2014 Team of the Month award. And, in 2017, her peers throughout New York state honored Alice with the highly acclaimed Social Worker of the Year award. We are so proud of her and all that she has done for Charna's Kids Club.