Best Start

Ministry of Children and Youth Services

September, 2005

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Overview of the Best Start Initiative Best Start is a comprehensive, evidence-based

early learning and care strategy designed to help give Ontario’s children the best possible start in life and help them achieve success in school.

Best Start is a major redesign of services in terms of how children and families are supported from birth through to Grade 1.

Planning and implementation will be done in phases at the local/community level.

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Impacts for Parents and Children

Best Start is a partnership with parents and families.

Parents will be engaged in their child’s learning and care – which is a critical factor to children’s success in school and healthy development.

Parents will be included in decision-making and have a say in how and what is planned for their child.

Services will be brought together in a comprehensive, flexible and seamless way so children and parents can access them at a familiar neighbourhood location.

Children will acquire the physical, socio-emotional, language, thinking and early literacy skills that are required to arrive at school ready and eager to learn.

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Rationale for Best Start The early years have the most influence of any

time in the life cycle on brain development and subsequent learning, behaviours and health.

Children who are ready to learn when they start school are more likely to complete school, find employment and make positive contributions to society.

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Rationale for Best Start

Society reaps the benefits over many years as those children develop into healthy, educated, confident and productive adults.

Investing in children is an investment in Ontario’s future. Investing in our youngest children in the first years of their lives leads to the greatest return on our investment.

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Figure 1:Rates of Return to Human Capital Investment(Carneiro & Heckman, 2003)

Rate ofReturn toInvestmentin HumanCapital

0

Age

Pre-school School Post School

OpportunityCost of Funds

Preschool Programs

Schooling

Job Training

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Best Start is distinct from other initiatives in that it:

will help parents and families – regardless of individual economic or social circumstances

responds to the clear message from communities that Ontario needs more integrated accessible services for young children and families

strengthens, enhances, builds on and integrates existing programs and services – rather than creating new structures or organizations

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asks all existing organizations that provide services for children from the prenatal stage through to Grade 1 to share their expertise, and plan together.

is community driven: o the types of services and service targets/outcomes

are set by the provincial government, but the planning for how those services will be delivered and integrated will be done by the communities.

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Key Features of Best Start

At the community level, key features of Best Start are childcare expansion and the establishment of neighbourhood Early Learning and Care Hubs that provide a range of integrated services and supports for families with young children.

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Children’s TreatmentChildren’s Treatment

Children’s Treatmen

t

Developmental

Services

Children’s Mental Health

Child Welfar

e

Core FunctionsScreening & Assessment:

Communication and Social/Emotional

IssuesPublic Health

Nutrition ProgramsParenting Programs

Child CarePre-School

JK/SKPreschool speech

and languageInfant Hearing

ProgramRecreation Programs

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Key Strategies of Best Start1. Establish Best Start Networks responsible for

planning and implementing Best Start in their communities.

2. Create neighbourhood Early Learning and Care Hubs that provide integrated services and supports for families with young children.

3. Support flexible implementation strategies that make sense for communities.

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4. Give communities tools to support the planning process.

5. Create an integrated early learning and care program combing preschool, JK and SK with high quality childcare during non-school hours.

6. Create more licensed childcare spaces and assist more families in need with childcare costs.

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7. Improve the quality of regulated and informal early learning and care programs.

8. Enhance early identification and intervention

programs.

9. Develop and support universal screening of all children at 18 months.

10. Change policies and practices and remove barriers.

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Best Start Planning and Implementation

Best Start is funded and led by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Implementation will take 10+ years and will be accomplished in phases.

Some Phase 1 components are province-wide. In Phase 1, each City and District will also establish a Best Start Network to develop Best Start implementation plans for local communities.

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How are we going to get there? Phase 1 (over the next 5 years) has two key components:

A major expansion of child care for children enrolled in Junior and Senior Kindergarten across the province during the non-school hours

Three demonstration projects that will fast-forward the 10+ year vision.

Other components included in Phase 1: Panel on Early Learning Program Panel on Quality and Human Resources Panel on the 18 month well baby check-up Enhancements for Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Restored service levels for Pre-School Speech and Language/Infant Hearing Establishment of the College of Early Childhood Educators Immediate flexibility and eligibility requirements for child care fee subsidies. This

includes changes to the eligible hours policy and RRSP/RESP policies Move to a sliding scale income test to determine eligibility for child care Measurement for progress and results using the Early Development Instrument

Phase 2 will introduce the 10+ year vision across all communities

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Schools First Policy The goal of Best Start is to help children enter

school ready to learn. Hence, schools are seen as the most appropriate sites for child care and early learning and care hubs and the first choice for the expansion of child care space as part of Best Start.

If it is determined that child care spaces are not to be located in schools, then the community plan must provide a rationale as to why and describe how programmatic linkages to an elementary school or to a family of schools will be maintained.

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Northern Regional Vision

In the North Region, MCYS is taking an approach that will reflect Northern realities and ensure regional consistency in Best Start implementation.

For example, it may not be appropriate or effective to have Early Learning and Care Hubs located in every school in every community in the North.

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Role of CMSMs and DSSABs

Expanding and enhancing childcare is the first critical task of Phase 1 Best Start implementation.

Regulated childcare services are the

responsibility of Consolidated Municipal Services Managers (CMSMs) in cities and of District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs) in rural areas.

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Role of CMSMs and DSSABs:

Given the emphasis on expanding childcare in Phase 1 of Best Start, CMSMs and DSSABs are taking the lead in establishing the Best Start Networks in their areas.

Boundaries for Best Start Networks are CMSM/DSSAB boundaries.

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CMSM/DSSAB catchment areas:

In _______(city/district), the CMSM/DSSAB catchment area includes:List of communities

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Map of DSSAB/CMSM boundaries.

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Best Start Networks Communities across Ontario, led by CMSMs and

DSSABs, will build Best Start Networks to plan and implement Best Start at the local level.

Composition of the Networks may vary based on

the distinctiveness of the communities. Suggested membership includes:

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Composition of Best Start Networks

Parents Parenting programs Early identification and intervention programs District school boards Health and specialized services Income and security programs Population-specific services Early learning and care programs Community services Policymakers

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Phase 1 Implementation Planning

Phase 1 is crucial in laying the foundation for the full implementation of Best Start.

It involves three tasks at the community level.

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Task 1: Best Start Networks

Bring together community partners and parents to establish Best Start Networks.

Define and approve Terms of Reference for the Networks.

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Task 2: Childcare Expansion

In consultation with Networks, CMSMs/DSSABs will take the lead in:

Developing a transition plan to use existing vacant childcare spaces, to increase the number of childcare spaces for families with priority for children in JK/SK and gradual expansion for children aged 0-4.

Developing an infrastructure plan for renovations/new spaces.

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Task 2: Childcare Service Plan Requirements

Executive Summary Environmental Scan

Historical Overview of the Local Child Care System Description of Local Services Assessment of Local Needs Three-Year Forecast of Local Child Care Service Needs

Analysis of Gaps/Overloads Childcare fee subsidies Wage subsidies Special Needs resourcing Resource Centres Service priorities

Service Management Strategies Analysis of Financial Impact Performance Measures/Data Elements

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Task 3: Integrated implementation plans

Describe the community’s needs for early learning and care services.

Develop a plan to implement early learning and care hubs.

Develop a plan to implement childcare during non-school hours for children in JK/JK and for children 0-4 years for 2006-2007 onwards.

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Task 3: Integrated implementation plans

Develop an integrated plan to enhance key early identification and intervention programs.

Set out the longer term vision to implement Best Start.

Identify any challenges and barriers to implementation and strategies to overcome them.

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Implementation Planning Timelines Task 1 Sept 30/05Build Best Start Networks

Task 2 Oct 31/05Transition plan to increase licensed childcare spaces and subsidies in 2005/2006 with priority for children in JK/SK with gradual expansion of licensed childcare and subsidies for children aged 0-4.

Task 3 Dec 31/05Develop a Phase 1 Integrated Implementation Plan.