What is the Child Watch Visitation Program?

THURSDAY, December 3, 1992 *Grown-ups get aclose lookat needs ofarea childrenChild Watch takes KC'sleaders to day-care centerBy. DONALDBRADLEYStaff Writer •Donald Hall probably isn't accustomedto taking orders, but Wednesday when a4-year-old boy told the Hallmark Cardschairman to sit down and make a duck ­Hall sat down and quickly made a duck.Out of Play Doh.The two were sitting at a children's tablein a Kansas City. Kan., day-care center.Hall's knees were nearly at his chin."How's that?" he asked the boy when hefinished the duck.The boy nodded his approval. Hallsmiled.It was pan of .Child Watch, a newprogram designed to show communityleaders the needs and problems of childrenin the metropolitan area. Hall W::lS one ofabout 15 leaders who made the bus tripWednesday to the Community Service153Center, 220 S. Ninth St., a day-care centerfor about 70 children with special needs.Some of the children had physicaldisabilities. Others had hearing or speechimpediments. Some were autistic. Stillothers were children of teen-age parents ormigrant farm workers. ."In their daily routines. these peopledon't see children like this." said JaneMcKim, Child Watch coordinator."Children now are everyone's concern.We need to motivate these people to helpany way they can."So once a month or so, Child Watch.co-sponsored by Partnership for Childrenand the Ewing and Marion KauffmanFoundation, plans to round up a group ofcommunity leaders for a trip to a school orday-care center and observe a children'sprogram. ."They're doing really wonderful thmgshere," Hall said as he watched staffmembers work with the children ::It theCommunity Service Center. "A lot ofpeople could learn a few things coming hereand watching this a while."