Therapeutic After-School Centers

Yad Rachel operates a network of therapeutic after-school centers across the country as part of our community-based support system. These centers serve a wide range of children, each with unique characteristics and needs that require personalized attention.

We view the daily interactions and experiences within the center
as the therapeutic intervention itself. In other words, the center
particularly the child’s relationship with the staff is the treatment.
The entire environment functions as a holding space that supports
the child on multiple levels.
In our approach, every element of the center carries therapeutic
and educational significance. The staff and the quality of their
relationship with each child, the physical structure, the design of
the rooms, the furniture and visual elements on the walls, the daily
routines, including something as simple and essential as serving
lunch, and, of course, the ongoing conversations and emotional
presence of the staff.
All these components are intentionally crafted to create an
atmosphere of safety, warmth, and predictability one that teaches,
contains, and heals. Together, they form a cohesive therapeutic
environment that enables children to experience stability,
connection, and growth. The center is designed to be a warm,
supportive, and emotionally secure environment that addresses all
significant aspects of the child’s life: home, family, school, and
community. Our therapeutic approach is grounded in the
understanding that a nurturing and meaningful relationship has
healing qualities. The staff works according to a core principle of
building a deep, emotionally committed connection with each child.