Guardians for New Futures, Inc. (GFNF4Kids) successfully hosted the 2026 Treasure Coast Child Summit on September 23 and 24, 2026, bringing together professionals, community leaders, advocates, and families for two impactful days focused on child protection, prevention, education, and collaboration.
Held at the Indian River State College Public Safety Training Complex in Fort Pierce, the Summit welcomed approximately 300 attendees from across the Treasure Coast and surrounding communities.
The event continued to strengthen its reputation as one of the region’s leading child protection conferences, creating an important space for professionals and community members to learn, connect, and address some of the most pressing issues affecting children and youth today.
Two Days of Education and Collaboration
Throughout the Summit, attendees heard from nationally recognized experts who shared practical information, current research, professional experience, and strategies for improving child safety.
Topics included child exploitation, autism spectrum disorder, youth mental health, artificial intelligence, gaming, online pornography, digital safety, and emerging threats affecting children.
Participants represented a wide range of professions and backgrounds, including educators, healthcare providers, law enforcement officers, child welfare professionals, mental health providers, attorneys, judges, social workers, prevention specialists, parents, foster parents, faith leaders, and community advocates.
That diversity helped create meaningful conversations and encouraged greater collaboration among individuals and organizations working toward the same goal of protecting children.
Powerful Presentations on Child Safety
One of the featured speakers was Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, who presented on “Operation Fool Around and Find Out,” an operation that led to the arrest of 58 child predators.
His presentation provided attendees with insight into the realities of child exploitation, investigative efforts, prevention, and the importance of community awareness.
The Summit also featured a Sheriff’s Panel, giving attendees an opportunity to hear directly from law enforcement leaders about current trends in child exploitation, digital threats, community safety, and the challenges agencies face while working to protect children.
These conversations highlighted the importance of staying informed as technology and emerging threats continue to change the ways children interact with the world around them.
Making Professional Education Accessible
Thanks to the generous support of community sponsors, attendance at the Summit was provided free of charge, including lunch for participants.
Eligible attendees also had access to free Continuing Education Units and certificates of completion, helping professionals strengthen their knowledge while meeting continuing education requirements.
Community sponsorships played an important role in making the event accessible to a broad audience and allowing more people to benefit from the training.
Thank You to Our Community
Guardians for New Futures extends its appreciation to the speakers, sponsors, volunteers, community partners, and attendees who helped make the 2026 Treasure Coast Child Summit a success.
Their support allowed GFNF4Kids to provide valuable education, encourage collaboration, and continue building a stronger network of professionals and advocates committed to child protection.
The Summit demonstrated what can be accomplished when law enforcement, educators, healthcare professionals, nonprofit organizations, families, and community leaders work together toward a shared purpose.
