Abbeville County is in the Upstate region of South Carolina.
This office currently serves approximately 21 children; with the majority between ages 0 and 10.
Prior to the Lily Pad space, children would have an air mattress to sleep on on the floor or they would sit in their case managers’ office.
Current Director, Bailey Johnson, gave our team full access to their current board room to make it a “soft place to land” for children waiting for placement or spending time in the office.
Lily Pad #6: February 2023
Department of Social Services Abbeville County, SC
Before: A sterile board room that works well for meetings but brings little comfort to a child or sibling group awaiting placement.
After: Soft lighting, entertainment system, a couch that converts into a bed, and comfort items like weighted blankets and stuffed animals.
Toys, DVDs, a Nintendo Switch and our signature lollipop jar are all housed in the entertainment system cubbies.
A chalkboard wall is a great place for imaginations to run wild. The wall also includes shelves filled with books for all ages, coloring books, crayons and chalk.
A rocker/glider is included in every Lily Pad space to comfort little ones that have likely experienced a traumatic event.
Though Lily Pad spaces are not intended for overnight stays, our team always includes a couch that converts into a bed as well as linens for sleep. Children are brought into the office at all times of the day or night and often need a place to lay their heads, even for just a few hours.
This office reported to our team that they see many children and sibling groups ages 0-10, so we included a younger play area complete with "Lily's Sweets" stand.
As always, our signature door sign completes the space.
A table for completing homework or sharing a meal is a priority to Lily Pad. We always leave two chromebooks for children to use to complete schoolwork or for entertainment purposes.
Blocks, sensory toys and a Nintendo Switch are standard in every Lily Pad space as well.
Sconces provide soft lighting in place of the harsh overhead, fluorescent lighting often found in office settings.
Director Bailey Johnson reacts to the completed Lily Pad space.