Moving Forward, Goal Areas: Children Are Safe From Abuse and Neglect

As First 5 LA moves forward in implementing our FY 2009-2015 Strategic Plan, we remain focused on the four goals we hope to accomplish throughout Los Angeles County: children are born healthy, children maintain a healthy weight, they are safe from abuse and neglect and ready for kindergarten. This series is dedicated to highlighting each of these goal areas and a few of the strategies we hope to enact to achieve them.

Because studies show that children who are exposed to abuse and/or neglect suffer repercussions that can last a lifetime, First 5 LA wants to help prevent this crisis in all of our 14 Best Start communities and throughout Los Angeles County. In the Best Start communities, children are especially at risk. Our research shows that about 21 percent of families in those communities live in poverty – and abuse and neglect tend to be more prevalent in poor families.

As part of Best Start, First 5 LA will work toward the goal that children are safe from abuse and neglect by:

• Supporting the integration and strengthening of already existing county service systems to better serve at-risk families.
• Helping parents create strong networks where they can find support from each other through community strengthening.
• Supporting access for parents and families to resources that teach and support parenting techniques, childhood development cues and developmental milestones, including in-home visits.

The goal is intricately linked to two of First 5 LA’s other goals – that children maintain a healthy weight and are ready for kindergarten, since children who are abused and neglected often suffer physical and mental problems. These issues can thwart a child’s ability to eat properly, exercise, learn and – ultimately – succeed.

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