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HUGS Response Plan


The HUGS Response Plan is a guide for early childhood practitioners who support families, caregivers and teachers. The HUGS Response Plan guides early childhood practitioners through the process of using a coaching interaction style to help caregivers diffuse challenging behaviors exhibited by young children and promote positive social-emotional interactions during everyday home, school, and community activities and routines.

Clickable image. Cover page titled HUGS: Hear, Understand, Give, Success Response Plan
The HUGS Response Plan Manual contains information about the HUGS (hear, understand, give, success) framework, instructions for implementing with caregivers, helpful hints, coaching guidance, and informative feedback on various topics: communication, child interests, child development, sensory preferences, trauma, parenting influences, and temperament.
Clickable image. Diagram titled “Joint Plan for Using HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies”
The HUGS Joint Plan worksheet contains organized space for practitioners and caregivers to plan for the use of the HUGS strategies.
Clickable image. Guide to HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies
The Guide to HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies worksheet contains explanations and examples of the HUGS strategies: hear, understand, give, success.
Clickable image. HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies cover
The HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies booklet aligns with the Guide to HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies worksheet and can be used as a handout for caregivers to refer to and track responsive strategies they are using.

To request individual or group certification training on the use of the HUGS Response Plan, contact Sarah Sexton at the Family, Infant and Preschool Program by email at [email protected] or call (828) 608-6707.