New research on adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, reveals that 57 percent of children in California have had such experiences, with economic hardship as the most common, followed by divorce, alcohol abuse by caregivers and violence in the household.The research...
News & Resources
A Hearty Welcome
More than 100 community leaders and elected officials gathered at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood on September 2 to celebrate Welcome Baby, a free and voluntary maternal home visiting program funded by First 5 LA and designed to partner with parents to enhance...
Policy Pick: CCDBG Reauthorization Sees Movement in Congress
After nearly 20 years since the federal child care subsidy law saw any significant modifications, Congress is finally taking action on this important federal program that provides child care assistance for families and funds child care quality initiatives.Last week,...
Strategic Plan Discussion Focuses on Trauma-Informed Care
As part of an effort to be better informed on priority outcomes for the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan, First 5 LA Commissioners heard a panel of experts speak at the September 11 board meeting on the topic of trauma-informed care."This panel discussion is very timely in...
Community Member Spotlight: Pat Henson
It’s no surprise that a 70-year-old woman with 38 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren would eventually tire of running a children’s daycare center. But a year after closing her center, Pat Henson reopened it, and she credits Best Start with providing the...
Helping Families and Kids Off to Their Best Start
A life of service may have been predestined for Public Affairs Officer Alfredo "Freddy" Lee, who comes from a long lineage of community service-oriented family members who have selected careers helping those in need medically, educationally and spiritually."My...
Best Start Communities Help Literacy Take Flight for Families
Parents and their children from Best Start Communities are participating in the Flights of Fantasy Story Theatre “Engaging Family in Literacy” Workshops, which informs parents about the important role story time plays in a child’s development of language and how it...
Bridging the Child Care Gap
First 5 LA will help preserve more than 3,200 child care slots at 11 nonprofit child development providers in Los Angeles County through an investment in the Los Angeles Early Childhood Education (LA ECE) Bridge Fund.A product of the Low Income Investment Fund, or...
Community Member Spotlight: Severiana Pablo
Severiana Pablo has lived her 58 years by one simple creed:“One might have a little but we still have to share what we have.”Severiana has done just that as a participant in Best Start Panorama City & Neighbors. Since 2011, Severiana has given whatever she can to help...
Groundbreaking for New Tot Park in South LA
First 5 LA and Best Start celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Avalon and Gage tot park for children and families in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 3.The 1/3-acre park, which will be completed in October, will feature play equipment focused on helping to improve...
