For Families

Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center

We understand how difficult the ups and downs of your child’s diagnoses can be and our team is always available and working nonstop to provide the best possible solutions, offer comfort and support for families and be there to lend a hand whenever needed. Family members play an integral role at Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center. As our partners in care, we encourage families to be active participants in their child’s medical journey and visit as often as possible.

Visiting Interdisciplinary Care Planning Language Services Special Occassions & Events Transportation Respite Care

Visiting

Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center’s visitation guidelines were developed with the consideration of each resident’s physical, mental and psychological wellbeing and quality of life, while recognizing the necessity to protect and reduce the risk of transmission of infection.

We strictly adhere to the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) regarding Infection Control.

If you have questions regarding our Infection Control policies, please email Sheila O’Gara, Director of Infection Control, at sogara@setonchildren.org.

Visitation Guidelines

Please postpone your visit if you are sick or experiencing symptoms.

Respiratory Virus Season

During Respiratory Virus Season (typically Nov – May), visitors 12 years old and younger are restricted from visiting resident rooms, but may visit in libraries, the Child Life room and other larger spaces. These visits must be coordinated ahead of time with the assigned social worker, in order to ensure there is an available space.

Hand Hygiene

When visiting Elizabeth Seton Children's Center, please remember to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer frequently.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

If a resident is on isolation precautions for any reason, all staff and visitors should wear appropriate PPE (gown & gloves) when entering the resident room.

Please Stay up-to-date on your Vaccinations

ESCC strongly encourages you to protect yourself, your family and your resident by staying up-to-date with all seasonal vaccines such as Influenza, RSV and COVID-19.

Interdisciplinary Care Planning

Interdisciplinary

Care Planning

Your child will be cared for by the members of their interdisciplinary team, which includes pediatricians, nursing staff, rehabilitation therapists, social workers, respiratory therapists, Child Life Specialists and nutritionists. Our neighborhoods are staffed by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Your child’s care plan is created after the initial evaluation period (14 days after admission) and is reviewed by the team quarterly and annually. We welcome and encourage parents/guardians to participate in these meetings as your input is crucial to the decision-making of the treatment plan. Additional meetings may occur in the interim to discuss changes in your child’s status, home visits and discharge planning. Your social worker can coordinate an interim meeting should you request a special meeting with the interdisciplinary team.

It is important to us that you share your child’s likes, dislikes, habits and preferences to create the best environment and quality of life for your child. We also encourage you to participate in his/her daily care. Team members can instruct and help you in any special care your child may require.

Language Services

Special Occassions & Events

Special Occasions &

Events

We believe creating a home-like environment is essential to the quality of life of each child and their family. This includes the celebration of your child’s special events and milestones – from birthdays to religious ceremonies and more. Arrangements can be made in advance with your child’s social worker to request accommodations for a special occasion.

Transportation

We provide our children and their families with transportation assistance to and from all clinical appointments, special events, trips and home visits. Transportation shuttles are also available for our families by appointment during the week and we offer an hourly schedule on the weekends to and from the 4 train at Woodlawn in the Bronx, the 1 train at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, the Yonkers Metro-North Station and the Greystone Metro-North Station.

Respite Care

Respite care is available to provide short-term, temporary support for families who may need some relief from the responsibilities of caring for their medically complex child. Our requirements for respite care are as follows:

- A minimum stay of two weeks and/or up to 20 days
- A referral application completed and signed by the child’s medical doctor providing clinical information including medications, diagnoses, feedings and special needs
- An on-site physical assessment appointment where you will meet one of our physicians and members of the interdisciplinary team
- Birth certificate, insurance information, Social Security card and immunization records
- Completed PRI and Screen

We will make every effort to accommodate your chosen dates for respite.

Elizabeth Seton Children’s School

Elizabeth Seton Children’s School deeply respects and honors the parent-child relationship; in fact, we believe that this is the very heart of a child’s early school experience. We recognize that families are their children’s first teachers, which is why actively engaging families from their initial visit to graduation day drives our daily practices.

Better Together Parents Association Parent-to-Parent Support Groups Family Resource Guide

Better Together

Families, as equal partners, contribute to their child’s goal-setting, participate in school-wide and classroom activities and attend regular conferences and Open Center Night. We engage our families with child-specific communication notebooks, newsletters, emails, mailings, frequent phone contact and many opportunities to visit. Administrators, teachers, therapists and social workers are also available for meetings, as requested. This frequent communication promotes a powerful, two-way learning community that celebrates and enhances the home/school connection.

Parents Association

The Parents Association (PA) provides families the opportunity to meet each other in a relaxed, social setting and plan activities that strengthen their involvement at the School. Parents Association members work to organize successful fundraisers to support special events for students throughout the year, attend workshops on relevant topics (i.e., play skills, therapeutic feeding, creating literacy-rich home environments, etc.) and sponsor family social events.

Parent-to-Parent Support Groups

Parent-to-Parent

Support Groups

Parent groups offer a source of reassurance, understanding and the opportunity to meet other parents who may have similar experiences, who want to share their own triumphs and struggles or who want to socialize and form new friendships. All parents are welcome to join. Groups are organized around the needs and interests of family members. Twice monthly sessions are facilitated by either a social worker or an ongoing services coordinator. We offer day and/or evening times allow for flexible scheduling.

Family Resource Guide

Elizabeth Seton Children’s Rehabilitation Center

At Elizabeth Seton Children’s Rehabilitation Center, parent engagement is critical to integrating care with their child’s life at home, school and in the larger community.

Support Services

We want our parents to feel empowered to care for their children at home where they grow and mature in the family environment knowing that the Rehabilitation Center will be a consistent source of support and assistance in the many years ahead.

At the Rehabilitation Center, we do not see a child with a limitation; we see a child with possibilities. Supportive services for families include: assistance with transportation needs and referrals to our educational programs, as well as other community-based services.

Do you have any questions?
Please contact us at 1 (833) 63-SETON