Childhelp Employees Expendable Beaumont, California

In a nut shell, Childhelp treats its employees like dirt. In the past, for example, the pay was reduced by 4% for all of the employees because of the loss of several children. Now that the numbers have been up for quite some time they refuse to reinstate the former wages. They spend money on showy things in order to get more donations and give glory to whomever donates a large item or whatever. The beautiful towels and throw rugs and other homey decorations are kept in a back room and put out only for tours. The kids are not allowed to use any of these items.

Of course the employees who have daily contact with the kids are the last to receive any consideration when any extra money is available. If the organization truly cared for the kids they would treat their employees like gold so that the love passes on to the kids. Many or most employees cannot afford to buy a home or even pay rent on a decent place because of the low wages. We are told that we get low pay because we are not supposed to be in this line of work for the money. That basically is true as no one can work here for long if they do not have true affection for the kids.

But the administration plays on this higher motivation to keep the pay low and the people at poverty level while lining their own pockets. Kids need stability to grow and prosper and the ever changing staff certainly does not provide that stability. The turnover rate is outrageous with the kids losing staff every month that they have learned to love and appreciate. This lack of cohesiveness at Childhelp is a major cause of all the problems reported by others. We expect out of control kids because that is the nature of abused and neglected kids. We do not expect however to be treated like dirt by those who control the direction of Childhelp. People hang on here because they love the kids or because they need any kind of job. Losing the later type is no big loss but it is a tremendous loss when the faithful, caring and professional line staff quit their jobs in droves because of the way they are disregarded by those who claim to be here "for the love of a child".

It is a business, pure and simple. And that is really too bad. My complaint here should in no wise reflect on all of the employees in all levels of the organization who truly do care and I am not trying to make their jobs more difficult but please if anyone in authority over the organization reads this could you please consider the numbers? If your motivation is money I think you will be surprised to learn that happy staff save you money in the long run. Think of the money you will save in training?

If your motivation is truly the love of a child then you are destroying the most important means you have to show that love. I have been here for several years and my heart is broken as I see the best employees leave -- the ones who lay down their lives for the children. It is an insult to the children, who have been abused enough, when you treat these people like dirt. If you truly cared for the kids you would support the only decent father and mother role models these kids have ever had.