because I think this is a good thing.
entry two thousand six hundred and four
Providence Health Care (PHC) has a long tradition of providing compassionate care for those who need it most. On May 3rd, we honour and continue that tradition with the opening of the Angel’s Cradle at St. Paul’s Hospital’s emergency department. This initiative will provide a safe haven for newborn babies that are abandoned by troubled mothers who cannot care for them.
Sadly, infant abandonment is a fact of life. In 2004 a one-day-old infant was found in a plastic bag at a bus stop in Vancouver; last year, an abandoned infant was found in between houses in East Vancouver; and earlier this year, an infant’s body was recovered from Burns Bog after the mother put her baby in a dumpster. St. Paul's Hospital has had its own abandoned infants, including a three to four-hour old newborn abandoned at the Comox entrance wrapped in a towel and plastic bag.
In an effort to address the needs of both mothers and their babies, PHC has developed the Angel’s Cradle. Because the cradle provides a repository where a mother can anonymously leave her infant in a safe haven, the Vancouver Police Department has stated that they will not seek charges or pursue the mother.
The repository is a built-in portal accessible from a protected area just outside of the entrance to the Emergency Department, as well as from inside the department itself. There is a thirty-second delay on the alarm from the time that the door has been opened, to allow the mother sufficient time to put the baby in the bassinet and leave the premises. Hospital staff will not approach the mother, and will allow her to remain anonymous.
The procedure for dealing with abandoned infants at the hospital has not changed; we are simply providing a safe place for women to safely and anonymously give up their infants instead of leaving them in a place that puts the baby at risk. Once a health assessment has been done any necessary medical treatment has been given, the baby will be put in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
The Angel’s Cradle began as collaboration between PHC’s departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Social Work and Mission, Ethics & Spirituality. Funding for the project construction of the bassinet and the printing of brochures and cards was secured from the St. Paul’s Hospital Gift Shop and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver 2009 Project Advance Appeal Grant.
For more information on the Angel’s Cradle, please see the Q&A below.
Angel’s Cradle Q&A
What is Angel’s Cradle?
Angel’s Cradle provides a safe and caring place for a mother to leave her newborn baby if she feels that she cannot properly care for it. Sometimes a newborn is unsafely abandoned because women do not have another option. The Angel’s Cradle offers an alternative. We are committed to the health and safety for the newborn and mother, and encourage mothers to make the right choice for themselves and their babies, whether it is parenting, adoption or leaving the baby in Angel’s Cradle.
Where is Angel’s Cradle located?
Angel’s Cradle is located at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver, and is accessible from outside the hospital at the Emergency Department entrance. An angel sign that is visible from the street indicates the cradle’s location.
Why was Angel’s Cradle made?
While there are adoption options for a woman in the Lower Mainland who is unable to care for her newborn baby, women in crisis are sometimes hesitant to access these resources because they want to remain anonymous. Angel’s Cradle is a way for a woman to give up her newborn safely and remain anonymous.
Providence Health Care has a long history of caring for those with the greatest needs in our society. The development of this option for troubled mothers is aligned with our Mission, Vision, and Values.
Where could the mother go for help instead of leaving her newborn in the cradle?
If a mother feels she is unable to care for her newborn baby, she could speak to her family doctor, a representative from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or a hospital social worker to discuss her options. There are also Crisis Centres throughout Greater Vancouver where a mother can call or drop in to talk to a counselor. The Angel’s Cradle is a last option for a mother who does not feel she can access these other options.
Will security or staff stop a mother from leaving her newborn?
No. Angel’s Cradle is a safe haven for a mother to give up her newborn. Staff or security will not approach the mother and will allow her to remain anonymous. This is also true if she presents to the Emergency Department herself for care.
What will happen to the baby when it is left in Angel’s Cradle?
Thirty seconds after the newborn has been placed in the cradle, a sensor will alert Emergency staff. The baby will be given necessary medical treatment and admitted to the appropriate unit. A hospital social worker will contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development, who will then assume responsibility for the baby. The baby will then be in government care.
Will the police arrest the mother?
No. The police have agreed to treat Angel’s Cradle as a safe haven. This means that it is a safe and anonymous place for a mother to give up her newborn if she chooses to do so.
What if the mother wants her baby back?
If a mother wants her newborn back after leaving it in Angel’s Cradle she can contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She would then meet with a social worker to discuss her options. The Ministry will work to ensure the newborn’s safety and to support the family.
Can the mother do anything else to help her baby when leaving it in Angel’s Cradle?
Any medical information is helpful for doctors and nurses looking after the newborn. If a mother leaves information about her baby’s medical background, or the parents, it can help hospital staff provide better care for the baby. It helps those caring for the newborn to know if the newborn may have been exposed to HIV, drugs or alcohol, and other health concerns. The information left will not be used to find the mother.
Providence Health Care (PHC) has a long tradition of providing compassionate care for those who need it most. On May 3rd, we honour and continue that tradition with the opening of the Angel’s Cradle at St. Paul’s Hospital’s emergency department. This initiative will provide a safe haven for newborn babies that are abandoned by troubled mothers who cannot care for them.
Sadly, infant abandonment is a fact of life. In 2004 a one-day-old infant was found in a plastic bag at a bus stop in Vancouver; last year, an abandoned infant was found in between houses in East Vancouver; and earlier this year, an infant’s body was recovered from Burns Bog after the mother put her baby in a dumpster. St. Paul's Hospital has had its own abandoned infants, including a three to four-hour old newborn abandoned at the Comox entrance wrapped in a towel and plastic bag.
In an effort to address the needs of both mothers and their babies, PHC has developed the Angel’s Cradle. Because the cradle provides a repository where a mother can anonymously leave her infant in a safe haven, the Vancouver Police Department has stated that they will not seek charges or pursue the mother.
The repository is a built-in portal accessible from a protected area just outside of the entrance to the Emergency Department, as well as from inside the department itself. There is a thirty-second delay on the alarm from the time that the door has been opened, to allow the mother sufficient time to put the baby in the bassinet and leave the premises. Hospital staff will not approach the mother, and will allow her to remain anonymous.
The procedure for dealing with abandoned infants at the hospital has not changed; we are simply providing a safe place for women to safely and anonymously give up their infants instead of leaving them in a place that puts the baby at risk. Once a health assessment has been done any necessary medical treatment has been given, the baby will be put in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
The Angel’s Cradle began as collaboration between PHC’s departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Social Work and Mission, Ethics & Spirituality. Funding for the project construction of the bassinet and the printing of brochures and cards was secured from the St. Paul’s Hospital Gift Shop and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver 2009 Project Advance Appeal Grant.
For more information on the Angel’s Cradle, please see the Q&A below.
Angel’s Cradle Q&A
What is Angel’s Cradle?
Angel’s Cradle provides a safe and caring place for a mother to leave her newborn baby if she feels that she cannot properly care for it. Sometimes a newborn is unsafely abandoned because women do not have another option. The Angel’s Cradle offers an alternative. We are committed to the health and safety for the newborn and mother, and encourage mothers to make the right choice for themselves and their babies, whether it is parenting, adoption or leaving the baby in Angel’s Cradle.
Where is Angel’s Cradle located?
Angel’s Cradle is located at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver, and is accessible from outside the hospital at the Emergency Department entrance. An angel sign that is visible from the street indicates the cradle’s location.
Why was Angel’s Cradle made?
While there are adoption options for a woman in the Lower Mainland who is unable to care for her newborn baby, women in crisis are sometimes hesitant to access these resources because they want to remain anonymous. Angel’s Cradle is a way for a woman to give up her newborn safely and remain anonymous.
Providence Health Care has a long history of caring for those with the greatest needs in our society. The development of this option for troubled mothers is aligned with our Mission, Vision, and Values.
Where could the mother go for help instead of leaving her newborn in the cradle?
If a mother feels she is unable to care for her newborn baby, she could speak to her family doctor, a representative from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or a hospital social worker to discuss her options. There are also Crisis Centres throughout Greater Vancouver where a mother can call or drop in to talk to a counselor. The Angel’s Cradle is a last option for a mother who does not feel she can access these other options.
Will security or staff stop a mother from leaving her newborn?
No. Angel’s Cradle is a safe haven for a mother to give up her newborn. Staff or security will not approach the mother and will allow her to remain anonymous. This is also true if she presents to the Emergency Department herself for care.
What will happen to the baby when it is left in Angel’s Cradle?
Thirty seconds after the newborn has been placed in the cradle, a sensor will alert Emergency staff. The baby will be given necessary medical treatment and admitted to the appropriate unit. A hospital social worker will contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development, who will then assume responsibility for the baby. The baby will then be in government care.
Will the police arrest the mother?
No. The police have agreed to treat Angel’s Cradle as a safe haven. This means that it is a safe and anonymous place for a mother to give up her newborn if she chooses to do so.
What if the mother wants her baby back?
If a mother wants her newborn back after leaving it in Angel’s Cradle she can contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She would then meet with a social worker to discuss her options. The Ministry will work to ensure the newborn’s safety and to support the family.
Can the mother do anything else to help her baby when leaving it in Angel’s Cradle?
Any medical information is helpful for doctors and nurses looking after the newborn. If a mother leaves information about her baby’s medical background, or the parents, it can help hospital staff provide better care for the baby. It helps those caring for the newborn to know if the newborn may have been exposed to HIV, drugs or alcohol, and other health concerns. The information left will not be used to find the mother.
