Strategic Plan: The Importance of Community to the Well-Being of ChildrenNovember 2, 2009 |
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 While it's obvious that family members, caregivers and other individuals who have continuous contact with a baby or toddler profoundly affect those young children's lives, what's less recognized is the influence of their neighborhoods and the larger community in which they live. Every neighborhood is different, and the way each community supports the development of children is unique. In our new Strategic Plan, First 5 LA is focusing attention on the variety of ways that a geographic community supports a child's development. In their publication, Why Place Matters: Building a Movement for Healthy Communities, the California Endowment and Policy Link make a compelling argument for considering communities as a crucial part of the health of a child. The document states "where you live, determines how you live," and cites how poor air quality, poorly maintained homes, lack of healthy food options, and the lack of clean, safe open spaces like parks and playgrounds contribute to the poor health of a child. Focused efforts to overcome such deficits at the community level are key to improving children's health. In addition to health implications, research shows that communities also have an influence on a parent's ability to parent effectively. For example, community supports like faith-based groups and mom's clubs contribute to a parent's ability to deal with stress. In her article, Creating Community Responsibility for Child Protection: Possibilities and Challenges, Associate Professor and Research Fellow at the University of Chicago Deborah Daro points out that it is crucial to create an environment that helps facilitate a parent's ability to do the right thing. "It is increasingly recognized that environmental forces can overwhelm even well-intentioned parents," Daro states. In other words, creating a brighter future for children often means making sure their parent or caregiver feels supported by and connected to their community. Funding organizations have traditionally focused on improving the health and well-being of children by supporting positive change in a child's immediate environment of family and caregivers. But there is a growing acknowledgement supported by research that the health and safety of a neighborhood plays an equally important role in a child's development. In our new strategic plan First 5 LA is now moving to a place-based approach that will focus on changing the neighborhoods where families live, and we believe that by doing so we will have an even deeper impact on the lives of children and families most at risk in L.A. County. |
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