Lily Pad: A Soft Place to Land, a local nonprofit creating trauma-informed, welcoming spaces for those in crisis, celebrated the opening of its first law-enforcement-based Lily Pad today in partnership with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit.
The new space marks Lily Pad’s first “soft room,” a trauma-informed environment within a law enforcement setting. The project is intended to help those who are encountering crisis response systems for the first time feel more at ease.
“This space is about ensuring that after a crisis, children and adults are met with dignity, safety, and care as they interact with law enforcement officers,” said Jennifer Tice, co-founder of Lily Pad. “For victims of crime and children in crisis, environment matters.”
Developed in partnership with the Spartanburg Special Victims Unit and Sergeant Sarah Arms, this Lily Pad space will serve multiple purposes, including victim interviews, private meetings with advocates and temporary support for children awaiting Department of Social Services (DSS) pickup.
Lily Pad founders Jennifer and Benjamin Tice were joined by Sergeant Sarah Arms, members of the Spartanburg Special Victims Unit, community partners and supporters who helped bring the space to life.
Sergeant Sarah Arms stated, “For far too long, victims who had just experienced the worst day of their lives were brought into cold, sterile interrogation rooms that could feel intimidating and overwhelming. In moments when survivors needed comfort, safety, and reassurance, the environment often added to their fear and anxiety. The Lily Pad room changes that.”
Ashlyn, a survivor and advocate, also shared remarks at the event, speaking to the importance of environments that offer dignity, calm, and safety for children and individuals navigating moments of crisis.
“Spaces like this matter because how someone is treated in their hardest moment can shape everything that comes after,” she said. “No one should feel alone or unseen when they are asking for help.”
The space includes soft seating, weighted blankets, books and sensory tools, along with other calming elements intentionally selected to help victims and children feel safe and supported. These features also create a more private, trauma-informed environment for Special Victims Unit investigators and advocates to conduct interviews, hold conversations and respond to crises.
Lily Pad originally began by transforming child welfare offices across South Carolina into trauma-informed spaces for children entering foster care. Since 2022, the organization has created more than 42 Lily Pads statewide and continues expanding through partnerships with governmental agencies, law enforcement and community organizations.
