USF selects Layla’s House for Research on Anti-Racism

Increasing engagement with families at Layla’s House

Last year, our community saw a renewed wave of advocacy against systemic racism, anti-blackness, and other injustices against black and brown people. These injustices don’t just affect adults, but also black and brown children in our Tampa Bay community. Champions for Children advocates for all children regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, or economic background. We are always looking for new and improved ways to reach families in Tampa Bay’s most underserved communities, and are excited to announce a partnership that will help us do exactly that.

The University of South Florida has chosen Champions’ Layla’s House program as a community partner for their research project exploring the challenges of engaging families in parent education and early childhood programming in Sulphur Springs, a historically black neighborhood. The project, co-led by Dr. Anna Abella and Dr. Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman, will also examine how families experience and participate in virtual parent education and developmental playgroups –  with a focus on how virtual programs affect Black families’ access to programs.

“There are many disparities in black maternal, child health, and early childhood outcomes,” says Anna Abella, USF Researcher. “Our research will help us understand those and how to address them to ensure Black families have access to the programs that were specifically put in place to benefit them.”

Layla’s House is such an important resource for economically disadvantaged families with children aged 0-5 in the Sulphur Springs community, yet obstacles remain to engage families who live there. Additionally, COVID has caused most of Layla’s House services to go virtual. During their research, the study team will interview families and staff, and sit in on classes and workshops to assess how we can potentially strengthen our service to black families in our communities.

“We are looking at what’s going right and working well to find new approaches and practical recommendations to increase engagement with Black families,” says Lisa Armstrong, USF Researcher.

We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project with USF researchers to better understand the challenges and opportunities available to meet the needs of the black families in the Sulphur Springs community. The classes, workshops, and playgroups at Layla’s House works with families to address all their needs, so they can focus on ensuring their children are safe and nurtured to develop to their fullest potential. This collaboration will help us make sure we are reaching families in the Sulphur Springs community who can benefit from these programs but may face barriers to accessing them.

To learn more about the USF Anti-Racism research project, click here.

The University of South Florida has chosen Champions’ Layla’s House program as a community partner for their research project exploring the challenges of engaging families in parent education and early childhood programming in Sulphur Springs, a historically black neighborhood. The project, co-led by Dr. Anna Abella and Dr. Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman, will also examine how families experience and participate in virtual parent education and developmental playgroups –  with a focus on how virtual programs affect Black families’ access to programs.

“There are many disparities in black maternal, child health, and early childhood outcomes,” says Anna Abella, USF Researcher. “Our research will help us understand those and how to address them to ensure Black families have access to the programs that were specifically put in place to benefit them.”

Layla’s House is such an important resource for economically disadvantaged families with children aged 0-5 in the Sulphur Springs community, yet obstacles remain to engage families who live there. Additionally, COVID has caused most of Layla’s House services to go virtual. During their research, the study team will interview families and staff, and sit in on classes and workshops to assess how we can potentially strengthen our service to black families in our communities.

“We are looking at what’s going right and working well to find new approaches and practical recommendations to increase engagement with Black families,” says Lisa Armstrong, USF Researcher.

We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project with USF researchers to better understand the challenges and opportunities available to meet the needs of the black families in the Sulphur Springs community. The classes, workshops, and playgroups at Layla’s House works with families to address all their needs, so they can focus on ensuring their children are safe and nurtured to develop to their fullest potential. This collaboration will help us make sure we are reaching families in the Sulphur Springs community who can benefit from these programs but may face barriers to accessing them.

To learn more about the USF Anti-Racism research project, click here.