NATCHEZ &8212; Nancy Owens bubbled with enthusiasm as she showed guests through the Catholic Charities Day Treatment program rooms Thursday during an open house.

The redecorated space, carved out of an unused area of the Natchez Children&8217;s Home, reflects the small clients who take part each day. They are 3, 4 and 5 years old.

Colorful posters and teaching tools are evidence of academics that take place there. Some simple rules of behavior on the wall illustrate the main purpose of the day treatment program &8212; teaching compliance.

&8220;The main focus is behavior,&8221; Owens said. &8220;We want compliance. We do it lovingly with structure.&8221;

These are children who go beyond the ordinary misbehavior of youngsters their age, she said. They are little children whose parents cannot handle them.

Martha Mitternight, director of Catholic Charities in Natchez, said the aim of the program is to prepare the children for kindergarten and first grade.

&8220;It is so important to get the children ready socially and behaviorally so when they get to kindergarten and first grade, they can succeed,&8221; she said.

The program is structured to provide plenty of love in every activity. &8220;We want them to understand they can be welcomed and loved,&8221; Mitternight said.

The clinic opened in April, and Owens, a licensed clinical social worker, already sees children making progress. The work is challenging and requires patience, she said.

&8220;They settle down in the classroom setting. But we have to be loving and at the same time very firm,&8221; Owens said. &8220;We have had some amazing results so far.&8221;

The children include a mildly autistic child and some whose family structure is fragile or in crisis.

&8220;These are the kids who get kicked out of day care,&8221; Owens said.

The open house was a way of giving professionals who work with children an opportunity to learn something about the program, Mitternight said.

&8220;As time goes on, we want to expand to family therapy, including the parents and older siblings,&8221; she said. &8220;Unfortunately, some parents today didn&8217;t have parenting themselves. They had no role model.&8221;

The program is full now &8212; nine children taking part. But Mitternight expects it to grow.

&8220;Although we have a full room, we hope to get another one,&8221; she said.

Children in the program must have a diagnosis and have a physician&8217;s OK to enter the program.

The program is year round and provides transportation to and from the school. It is certified by the state Department of Mental Health and all staff workers are certified.

Nancy Hungerford, director of the Children&8217;s Home, said putting the extra space at the home to use is part of a future strategy.

&8220;In fact, this summer we&8217;re in the process of changing our name from Natchez Children&8217;s Home to Natchez Children&8217;s Home Services,&8221; she said. &8220;We want to have the latitude to include things like this.&8221;