About Ontario's Best Start

We want the best for Ontario's babies and children. That means making sure they get the best possible start in life.

That's the goal of Best Start - to make sure that children in Ontario are ready to learn by the time they start Grade One.

Best Start focuses on:

• early learning and child care services
• healthy development during a child's first years

It consists of a range of services to support families with children from their birth through to Grade One. These services include:

• Healthy Babies Healthy Children - a program that supports the healthy growth and development of children from before birth up to age six
• infant hearing program
• speech and language therapy for children who need extra help
• more opportunities for high quality, affordable early learning and child care
• services for children who are blind or have low vision

We are working with our community partners - school boards, public health units, municipalities and child care and children's services providers - to make sure that more children and parents can access a seamless network of early learning and development services and supports right in their own communities.

Learn more

Best Start resources -- publications, directories, links, reports

About Best Start programs and services

• Healthy Babies Healthy Children
• Infant Hearing Program
• Preschool Speech and Language Program
• Finding quality child care
• Services for children who are blind or have low vision

Other information

• Making sure your kids eat right: The link between good nutrition and learning
  
  
• Early Learning for Every Child Today: A framework for Ontario early childhood settings, January 2007
• • Understanding Children’s Development
  • Into Practice
  • Assessment, Evaluation and Monitoring 
  • Glossary