​TAMPA, Fla. — A mission to build family connections and help prevent child abuse and neglect in the Tampa Bay area is marking a milestone.

What You Need To Know

  • Layla's House has been helping build strong families for 10 years

  • It provides skills, knowledge and resources to kids and adults

  • Parents participate with their children in the Music and More class

Layla's House prides itself in providing skills, knowledge and resources for 10 years now, helping to make family life a healthy and happy one.

"We know that if we can support families and provide them a strong foundation with parents and their children that it will strengthen the family as a whole," said Taisha Edwin-Williams, Program Director at Layla's House.

Three-year-old Dominic Lunney is learning social skills at a Layla's House program and probably doesn't even realize it.

But his dad, Karl, sure does.

"Look at that," said Karl Lunney, when he saw his son and a friend with a welcome hug so hard it took both boys to the playmat. "Who wouldn’t love to just see their kid feel accepted?"

The children in class didn't miss a beat and were back on their feet with a song to get the playgroup started. Parents participated with their children in the Music and More class.

With the fun and games, Layla's House works to build strong families.

Child Facilitator Alisa Williams uses music and play to teach more than social, emotional learning.

"Music helps you socially, it helps you emotionally, we need to have our children as toddlers, as infants start building that social-emotional, the gross motor, we have moving our arms, moving our legs, the stomping, the marching all those things help us, to help the kids with eye coordination, movement and they need that,” said Williams.

The Lunneys agree and attend regularly. Karl Lunney said he saw a difference.

"Just to see them interact so positively and they’re just a joy to watch," he said. "Everyday they just get a little bit more developed, I love it."

It's development Williams encourages early.

"They’re gonna know all these thing before they get in school so before they get in school they’re gonna be introduced to gross motors, fine motors, communication, socializing," said Williams. "And by us knowing as parents and our parents knowing they’re able to help us broaden those kids.”

Parents building a strong connection with their kids, knowing they are surrounded by a circle of support.