Rooted in Community: Cultivating an Ecosystem of Care for Young Children and Families is a high-level learning brief co-authored by teams from Engage R+D and Informing Change. The brief summarizes the progress made and lessons learned from across the Best Start (a place-based initiative funded by First 5 LA) networks and was prepared for funders, systems leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community champions interested in understanding what it takes to collectively strengthen early childhood outcomes. Best Start is one of many stewards of the early childhood ecosystem in the Los Angeles region, working with communities to ensure every child prenatal to age 5 in the County is born healthy and thrives in nurturing, safe, and loving communities.

The Best Start Learning Agenda (BSLA) was a participatory process that began in late 2021 and builds on First 5 LA’s commitment to continuous learning – a key nutrient for a thriving ecosystem. The BSLA was co-designed and facilitated by Engage R+D and Informing Change. The BSLA team engaged diverse Best Start partners in an exploration of what it takes to activate, build, and sustain powerful community-centered networks to improve early childhood outcomes. We also explored what power building and the network model make possible by surfacing examples from across all five regions.

The learning agenda focuses on three interconnected areas that were identified through listening sessions and interviews. The team then facilitated additional interviews, focus groups, and learning discussions to develop a collection of interconnected case stories highlighted in this learning brief: (1) cultivating powerful community-centered networks, (2) fostering healing and community care, and (3) strengthening access to affordable housing and economic stability. The learning journey underscores that families do not live single-issue lives and many complex factors and conditions affect a child’s ability to thrive.

The learning brief is also available in Spanish and was prepared by the following individuals:

Engage R+D

• Sonia Taddy-Sandino, Co-Executive Director
• Giannina Fehler-Cabral, Director
• Armand Gutierrez, Research Consultant
• Rafael Henriquez, Research Consultant

Informing Change

• Michael P. Arnold, PhD, MSW, MPH, Partner & Co-Executive Director
• Omar Alcover-Firpi, Senior Associate
• Caitlin Stanton, Associate Director