No extensions this time - the Early Bird ends this Friday!

Friday, April 18 is your last chance to register for The National Conference for America's Children at our special Early Bird rate, so don't let it pass you by!

If you register by Friday, not only will you secure your chance to see speakers like Dr. Harvey Karp and Dr. Bruce Perry and to attend sessions on reflective practice, self-care, CHEERS and more, but you'll also be entered into our drawing for a VIP lunch with Dr. Perry himself!

You're going to register anyway, so why not do it today and save some money? Secure your spot at The National Conference for America's Children now! 

Keep the Celebration Going!

It's Child Abuse Prevention Month, and throughout the month we're doing everything we can to raise awareness for the importance of healthy starts for children and the role that we all play in children's lives.

With events like our Big Pinwheel Gardens in Chicago and New York City as well as the dozens of events being held by our chapters throughout the month, we're sure to build up some serious momentum this April.

And what better way to keep that momentum going than by learning and networking at The National Conference for America's Children? You can learn more about how to become a better home visitor with sessions on CHEERS, how to take care of yourself with our sessions on Self-Care for the Caregiver, and how you can help prevent bullying and peer abuse, and much much more!

At the Big Pinwheel event in Times Square, actor Josh Charles told us that "we can be the wind" that moves the pinwheel and makes life better for children and families. Be that wind and recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month now  by looking toward the future - register for The National Conference for America's Children at our Early Bird rate today!

Announcing Cordelia Anderson!

Adding to the already-stellar list of workshop speakers at The National Conference for America's Children, we're pleased to announce that Cordelia Anderson will now be leading two sessions!

Cordelia is an author, trainer, consultant, and founder of Sensibilities Prevention Services. She has worked in the field of child development and abuse prevention for nearly four decades and is an expert on topics like sexual abuse prevention, internet and technology safety, and positive youth development.

She will be presenting two sessions at the conference, one titled "Don't Just Stand There, Do Something!" that talks about the idea of engaging bystanders in prevention, and another entitled"Hypersexualization of Children" that will talk about the various influences on young people and their sexuality and what that means in terms of prevention.

You won't want to miss these important and informative sessions from one of the leaders in the field!

Register today for The National Conference for America's Children and secure your spot to see Cordelia Anderson now.

It's No Joke!

We've extended Early Bird registration! Instead of playing pranks to mark April Fool's Day we want to help you out in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month! We've decided to continue our Early Bird registration program until  Friday, April 18!    You now have THREE more weeks to jump on this promotional rate! But there won't be any more extensions after that, so act now to secure your spot to see Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. David Willis, Dr. Harvey Karp and more!

Don't let the worm get away! Early Bird registration ends tomorrow!

Don't let this special rate pass you by - make sure to register for The National Conference for America's Children today!

This is your last chance to secure the Early Bird registration rate, so take advantage now and secure your spot in sessions about peer abuse, child sexual abuse strategies, engaging fathers in home visiting and many more.

Plus, if you register today, your name will be entered into an exclusive drawing for the chance to attend a VIP lunch with Dr. Bruce Perry.

Head over to our registration page and sign up today! 

In the Spotlight this week...

The National Conference for America's Children is quickly approaching! 

With so many great topics and workshops to choose from, we couldn't keep them to ourselves! Check out these sessions -

Spotlight on: Dr. Espelage and the Myths and Facts about Peer Abuse
The effects of bullying can be dramatic and long-term, but we are learning more and more each day about the effectiveness of ecologically-based prevention strategies. Read more...  

Spotlight on: Self-Care for the Caregiver
You work long hours in stressful situations, working hard to help improve the lives of everyone around you. You deserve some time and attention too! Dr. Lori Schlosser has tailored this two-part experiential session toward the needs of home visitors and assessment workers in an effort to help you relax, center and recharge! Read more...

Spotlight on: CHEERS and its Use in Home Visiting
Are you a home visitor who uses the CHEERS framework in your work, or are you someone who is just learning about CHEERS for the first time? Either way, this session from Lisa Sutter is guaranteed to be useful to you! Read more... 

Spotlight on: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
These sessions will feature leaders in the field discussing their approaches and what they have found works and what does not. Sessions are sure to be useful for anyone who is interested in learning more about how they can prevent sexual abuse at all levels! Learn more about the speakers and sessions...

Spotlight on: Engaging Fathers in Home Visiting
You know that engaging fathers in the lives of children is optimal for child development, but do you know the best strategies to engage fathers safely and effectively? This session will provide strategies from all perspectives! Learn more...

Spotlight on: Pinwheels for Prevention
Pinwheels for Prevention is Prevent Child Abuse America's signature messaging campaign, and this session will focus on the ways that different state chapters have been able to use the pinwheel and the associated messaging to increase engagement and awareness throughout their communities. Read more...

The Early Bird Deadline is one week (now six days) away! Don't let it fly past!

The Early Bird deadline for The National Conference for America’s Children is ending in exactly one week! With seven days (now six days) to go until our special promo rate expires, here are seven reasons to register today:

•     Anyone who registers before the Early Bird deadline will get the chance to attend a special VIP lunch session with Dr. Bruce Perry! This is as unique an opportunity as you can get!

•     Our plenary speakers are leaders in their fields, and you won’t want to miss the chance to learn from Dr. David Willis or laugh along with Emily Ballance!

•     The workshops being presented feature a range of topics that are sure to please every different interest group and feature experts like Dr. Dorothy Espelage, Dr. Harvey Karp, and more!

•     Jacksonville is beautiful in May and is a great place to relax after a day packed full of learning and training!

•     The opportunity to meet new friends and reconnect with old colleagues! There’s no better time to build your personal and professional networks.

•     The exhibit hall is sure to rock this year, with new vendors and familiar faces!

•     You know you’re going to register anyway, so do it today and save yourself some money!

Don’t let the week fly by! Register today for The National Conference for America’s Children!

Want to grow your network?

What's better than being at The National Conference for America's Children? Meeting new friends and colleagues at The National Conference for America's Children!

We know that you could spend all day learning from experts like Dr. Harvey Karp and Dr. Linda Gilkerson , but we also know you won't want to miss the chance to interact with and learn from prevention workers just like you!

So, please join like-minded professionals from all around the country to discuss tips, strategies, success stories (some funny ones, too!) and learn from the people who work in the same field as you.

Whether it's at our opening-night mixer on Sunday or at one of the great restaurants and bars in the downtown Jacksonville area after a full day of workshops, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to grow your personal and professional networks.

Sign up now at the early bird rate and you might have the change to sit down with Dr. Bruce Perry at a special VIP lunch session!

Don't miss out on this chance to make new friends, hone the skills that you use every day, and rejuvenate your passion for your work - sign up now for The National Conference for America's Children.

We love this!

Post by Ashley Bunn DeLoach.

Post by Ashley Bunn DeLoach.

We love this!

)

Train Your Brain!

Come to the 2014 National Conference for 

America's Children!

Building brains is our business! Help us celebrate National Brain Awareness Week by putting infant mental health in the spotlight.

Infant mental health is one focal point of Health Families America and will be featured extensively at The National Conference for America's Children. The conference, taking place in Jacksonville, FL, May 18-21, will feature:

• A keynote address from renowned researcher Dr. Bruce Perry and a special in-depth breakout session led by Dr. Perry that will provide attendees with a crash course on infant neuro-development! 
• A chance for five lucky winners to enjoy a VIP lunch with Dr. Perry! Those who register now for our Early Bird Discount will automatically be entered into the drawing!
• Breakout sessions on the science and practice of infant mental health, led be great innovators in the field such as Dr. Harvey Karp and Dr. Linda Gilkerson!

This week when you post on your social media profiles and blogs, be sure to mention Brain Awareness Week, help us spotlight Healthy Families America and its Infant Mental Health approach, and take your understanding of infant mental health to the next level.

Register today for The National Conference for America's Children!

We love this!

#nationalconference4americaschildren #jacksonville @HFAatPCA @PCAamerica http://t.co/4P4rctEwko
— Marla Austin Nelson (@Hiskaleidoscope) March 10, 2014

Journey to Jacksonville: Experience The National Conference for America's Children!

Join us in Jacksonville from May 18 - 21 for The National Conference for America's Children! Take in lectures from world-renowned experts such as Dr. Bruce Perry and Robin Karr-Morse, participate in trainings and workshops on timely topics spanning brain architecture, home visitation, Adverse Childhood Experiences, organizational development and many more, and network with like-minded professionals equally committed to healthy starts for our nation's children!

You won't want to miss this, and we don't want you to either! That's why we're announcing several cost-saving options today to help you make the journey to Jacksonville a little easier:  

•  If you're willing to volunteer by monitoring workshops, we'll offer a $50 reduction in registration to the first 20 applicants! This is a great way to learn from our great workshops while saving a little bit on the bottom line.
    
•  The Early Bird gets the lunch! Register now to not only take advantage of our Early Bird registration rate (register before April 1!), but also to be entered into a contest to attend a private lunch with Dr. Bruce Perry! Save some money and give yourself a chance to chat with one of the most accomplished researchers in the world of infant mental health.

Click here to see the schedule of workshops and the experts who will be leading them. Register today to reserve your spot at The 2014 National Conference for America's Children, presented by Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America.

Looking Back, Looking Forward.

Prevent Child Abuse America has a new e-newsletter out where we talk Healthy Families America, the 2014 National Conference for America's Children, and our new Director of Bullying Prevention and Vice President for Programs and Research hires at Prevent Child Abuse America, among other things. You can take a look here, so please do, and then please let us know what you think, and if there is anything you would like us to cover in future editions. Thanks and have a great week.

Drum Roll Please...

And the final plenary speaker for The 2014 National Conference for America's Children is...

Dr. David Willis, M.D. FAAP

"Building health and education readiness for the next generation of children requires a focus on the one science of early brain development, addressing toxic stress from pre-conception to early childhood."
- Dr. David Willis  

Dr. Willis serves as the Director of the Division of Home Visiting and Early Childhood Services within the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration. His work and wisdom will surely be appreciated by all those who work in or around home visiting.

A clinician for more than 30 years, Dr. Willis founded the Northwest Early Childhood Institute and became the first Medical Director of the Artz Center for Developmental Health, a multidisciplinary clinic. He also serves as the Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Early Brain & Child Development Strategic Initiative, and has been a member of Dr. Jack Shonkoff's Frontiers for Innovation at Harvard's Center for the Developing Child.

Dr. Willis will present on the importance of early nurturing relationships, early childhood systems of care, collective impact, adversity and toxic stress. You won't want to miss this!

The 2014 National Conference for America's Children will take place at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL, from Sunday, May 18, through Wednesday, May 21, 2014. Register now!

You're not going to want to miss this!

The 2014 National Conference for America's Children, presented by Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America, is sure to be educational, energizing and exciting!

The conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront - May 18-21, 2014.

Join us for a great experience for anyone who works with children, families and non-profits. Plenary speakers include:

• Dr. Bruce Perry, whose work with infant mental health speaks to the need for urgency in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
• Robin Karr-Morse, a family therapist and author who uses the latest research in  psychology, biology, neurology and genetics to take readers inside the reality of early development.
• Emily Ballance, a Licensed Professional Counselor and nationally recognized speaker who brings a unique and humorous perspective on the challenges of work and life. 

Register before the end of the year for the Early Bird discount!

Emily Ballance brings the humor and healing!

Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America are excited to welcome the upbeat, humorous and downright fun Emily Ballance to speak at The 2014 National Conference for America's Children in Jacksonville, FL in May 2014.

"Emily did a wonderful job for us at the Illinois state conference. She fit the occasion like a glove. We were very, very pleased."  - Roy Harley, Executive Director, Prevent Child Abuse Illinois

Emily Ballance, MEd, LPC, CSP is a nationally recognized speaker for associations, organizations, meetings, state and national conferences. She offers a unique and humorous perspective on the challenges of work and life in general. Drawing from her experiences in healthcare, the corporate world, as a counselor and in life, Emily educates and entertains audiences with her dry wit and keen observations. Also a Licensed Professional Counselor, Emily is committed to helping people use positive, affirming humor to reduce stress, prevent burnout and enhance their health, happiness and well-being.

"Emily's closing keynote was fun and funny, informative and inspiring! She gave our nurses some very practical suggestions for using humor to deal with stress at work and at home - they could really be applied to any profession."  - Robyn Gude, Network Administrator of the Southern Illinois Perinatal Network

Emily's presentation, "Finding Humor and Purpose in the Midst of Life's Circus," is sure to be an entertaining and enjoyable way to learn and connect with your peers. The National Conference for America's Children will take place at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL, May 18-21, 2014.

For more information, please visit our website!

Acclaimed author Robin Karr-Morse to Keynote at the National Conference for America's Children.

You've read her books, now come listen to her speak! Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America are thrilled to announce that acclaimed author Robin Karr-Morse will be one of the four keynote speakers at The 2014 National Conference for America's Children in Jacksonville, FL, in May 2014.

Karr-Morse, a family therapist who served for more than 20 years in Oregon's education and child welfare systems has now drawn on the latest science in psychology, biology, neurology and genetics to write two popular books that take readers inside the reality of early development.

  

"Everyone so enjoyed Robin's presentation - her name was a constant on the evaluations as to being one of the favorite presentations! Robin was so gracious and kind to everyone."
Executive Director, The King's Daughters Day Home

While Ghosts from the Nursery looked at the correlations between child abuse and neglect in the first three years of life and later developing aggression and violence, Karr-Morse's latest book, Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease, discusses the repercussions of chronic fear in infants - when we are at our most helpless - into adulthood, and how these may trigger common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity in adults.

"Her professional contribution to this event was significant...her session and the conference as a whole provided a welcomed opportunity for professional growth and personal renewal and reinvigoration."
National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention

The National Conference for America's Children will take place at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL, from Sunday, May 18, to Wednesday, May 21, 2014.  

Infant Mental Health takes center stage at The National Conference for America's Children.

Prevent Child Abuse America and Healthy Families America are thrilled to announce that Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D will be one of the featured keynote speakers at The 2014 National Conference for America's Children in Jacksonville, FL, in May 2014. Dr. Perry's work is sure to resonate with anyone who works with young children and wants to promote infant mental health.

For the past 30 years, Dr. Bruce Perry, M.D. Ph.D has been at the forefront of understanding the importance of brain development in young children, and the necessity of embracing an infant mental health approach to healthy child development.

"Dr. Perry's presentation was exceptional. We had amazing evaluations concerning his knowledge and skills. He certainly has a following here now!"
Mick Woolsey - Utah Foster Care Foundation

"We certainly enjoyed having Dr. Perry speak! There is a multitude of positive feedback and we continue to hear on a weekly basis how it impacted someone who attended. One attendee, described as an M.D. having been in the business for over two decades, described the training as the best training they had ever attended."
Theresa Dworak, McLeod County, MN

Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy and adjunct professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Dr. Perry has published over 500 journals, articles and book chapters, and is at the forefront of topics such as child maltreatment, children's mental health, neurodevelopment and youth violence. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the T. Berry Brazelton Infant Mental Health Advocacy Award.

Dr. Perry's work speaks to the need for urgency in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and his talk at The National Conference for America's Children will be sure to excite and inform all those in attendance as to how you can have a positive impact in the healthy development of children in your community and across the nation.

The National Conference for America's Children will take place at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL, on May 18-21, 2014. For more information, please visit our National Conference for America's Children page!