Component: Healthy Child Development

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017

Service objectives

Developmental surveillance is a flexible ongoing process for monitoring growth and development for optimal development and early identification of potential delays, gathering information from various sources, including practitioners in partnership with parents/caregivers, using various measures, over time. Two key priority areas supporting surveillance are the Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit Initiative and the Developmental Surveillance Initiatives.

People served

Children from birth to age 6 and their families, as well as primary care, public health and community-based early years providers who support children and their families in the early years.

Program/service features

Evidence-based tools, education and resources provided through these programs and services build the capacity of primary care and early years providers to engage in early developmental surveillance practice, including fostering and monitoring child development and early detection of potential delays or concerns as warranted.

Parents/caregivers and the general child-serving public may also access online and paper-based tools and resources to build their capacity to foster and monitor children’s development and follow up with professionals if they have concerns.

Specific service provided

Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit Initiative

  • training, resources, and promotional activities for health care professionals to support uptake and consistent delivery of the Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit
  • marketing, communications, and promotional activities to increase awareness and build capacity among parents/caregivers and the public to engage in the Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit, including use of the parent-completed Looksee Checklist to monitor achievement of developmental milestones
  • continuous quality improvement, project management, reporting and analysis to inform planning and priorities
  • resourcing, research, and administrative support for standardized tools recommended for practice requirements under the Enhanced 18-Month Well- Baby Visit

Developmental Surveillance Initiative

  • hosting, maintaining, and supporting the Play & Learn website and the Early Years Check-In (EYCI) website, online EYCI tool and related resources for caregivers/parents and professionals, including online training for registered early childhood educators (RECEs)
  • marketing, communications, and promotional activities for Play & Learn and EYCI targeted to the public and early years professionals to build capacity and increase awareness and use

Program goals

To support increased access, quality, consistency and uptake of developmental surveillance tools, processes and resources among health and community-based service providers, parents/caregivers and the public; and clear pathways to community-based services for children and families requiring additional supports in support of optimal child development and early detection of potential delays.

Ministry expectations

Developmental Surveillance activities are provided in accordance with descriptions provided.

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates.

Service data name

 Definition
Ministry-funded agency expenditures: Developmental Surveillance Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the Funding Year (cumulative).
# of Training Sessions Delivered: DS The total number of training sessions delivered to primary care, public health and community-based early years providers. Training sessions include both in-person or online training modules, webinars and/or workshops. Training sessions do not include mentorship sessions or large group sessions facilitating knowledge sharing among communities of practice.

A supplementary report providing additional information for the ministry about these services may be required.