Sponsorship & Exhibit  opportunities available. Questions??  Call Josh   (561) 572-2711 ext. 1034 or jhirsch@hugsforkids.org	Fifth Annual South Florida CONFERENCE on CHILD ABUSE and NEGLECT Mission: To provide an opportunity for professional development while creating public awareness of child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention, and advocacy. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008 Palm Beach County Convention Center 8 am - 5 pm Register Now!  $80 - Early Bird  21 Workshop sessions (continuing education credits available) Keynote Speaker Exhibitors/Resource tables
Who Should Attend? Counselors, social workers, therapists,  teachers, school officials, child care & after school providers, law enforcement, attorneys, juvenile justice,  medical/health care providers, faith community leaders/volunteers, foster parents and all child advocates!!

OUR MISSION: To prevent child abuse and neglect by providing education and support to strengthen families.

HUGS for Kids began helping parents and children in Palm Beach County in 1988 and expanded into Broward County in 1995. We are one of the largest service providers in a federation of more than 100 independent Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Centers in the nation. Our three offices are located in Boynton Beach, Pompano Beach and Lauderdale Lakes. HUGS for Kids has grown from serving 42 families to serving over 4,000 families per year!

The mission of HUGS is to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing Help, Understanding, Guidance and Support to strengthen families and protect children.  Through a combination of individually tailored, weekly in-home parenting education and support services, HUGS for Kids addresses the issues that place parents at risk of abusing or neglecting their children. HUGS for Kids provides services to pregnant women and continues to serve families with children up to the age of 13 years old.

Child abuse and neglect occur in all segments of our society, but the risk factors are greater in families in which parents seem to be having economic, housing or personal problems; are isolated from their families or community; have difficulty controlling anger; abuse alcohol or drugs; have little to no education; and were abused or neglected as children (Prevent Child Abuse America, 2003). Clearly we can pay now for prevention, or pay later for: foster care, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse and domestic violence: all consequences of child maltreatment.

Learn More About Our Programs >>