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In 1998, Hope4KidZ began a grassroots effort to increase the protection, safety, and well-being of children who are in the care, custody, and control of the Texas foster care system.
Due to the high volume of requests for assistance, Hope4KidZ created this web site to provide information to navigate an often confusing system of Child Protective Services.
The issue of abused children is not heart-warming, but it is heart-wrenching, and together, we can implement solutions and demand absolute accountability of anyone who would harm a child with impunity.
Hope4KidZ, Inc. presents the seriousness of the issue and solutions to many of the problems we know exist for children who do not live in "model" residential, group, cottage, "orphanage" foster care.
Hope4KidZ relies solely on individual donations to provide the funding necessary to assist H4K in helping to create better, long-term outcomes for children in residential foster care.
Hope4KidZ, Inc. became a 501(c)3, nonprofit in 2000.
Vision, Mission Statement, and Goals
Hope4KidZ, Inc. is a nonprofit organization of citizens throughout the nation who are concerned about children's rights and their protection from abuse.
OUR VISION
To be our state's most effective advocate and support system for children who are abused while in state foster care.
OUR MISSION
To raise the awareness of our society of the failure of our governmental agencies to protect children in state foster care, to provide legal advocacy for abused children/ and to develop and implement, a full range of solutions that enhance the quality of life for these children.
Hope4KidZ, Inc. exists to speak on behalf of children who do not have an advocate, or who have ineffective advocacy, within the governmental systems.
OUR GOALS
The following goals help Hope4KidZ, Inc. fulfill its mission at both the individual (case) and system (policy) levels:
- To identify and increase, through more effective public education the number of people who report abuse cases so the victims can receive intervention services and therapy.
- To reduce the incidence of abuse by residential state foster care facilities by developing public policy initiatives and educating key stake holders about the problems in the child-protective system.
- To reduce the incidence of re-abuse of known victims of child abuse by developing more effective intervention measures and support services for children abused while in state foster care.
- To align comprehensive, new prevention and intervention strategies with innovative treatment methodologies to enhance support of abused children while in state foster care.
OUR BELIEFS
- We believe that every child has the right to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment.
- We believe that child abuse should be dealt with in criminal court, like the crime it is.
- We believe that children should have the basic constitutional protections that are afforded adults.
- We believe that society has a moral and legal obligation to protect our children from abuse and neglect.
- We believe that the safety and rights of the child are paramount to the rights of any caregiver.
- We believe that public agencies that serve children should be efficient, accountable, and should place the "best interests of the child" above all else.
- We believe that children should have the right to competent legal representation in all cases.
- We believe that social workers must abide by the laws of the state.
- We believe that anyone who harms a child while in state foster care must be charged with the crime of Injury to a Child.
- We believe that anyone responsible for the death of a child in state foster care must be charged with manslaughter, at the very least.
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