In defense of Best Start

Dear Editor
Over the past several weeks there has been talk throughout the community about the Provincial Government’s, Ministry of Children and Youth Services, newly announced Best Start Plan. Following a couple of meetings within the community this paper has reported some of the positive information presented as well as the strong and often negative concerns of a few community members in attendance at the meetings. There continues to be questions and grumbling about this new initiative. It is human nature to oppose change especially when we do not understand what that change means to us, to our children and families, and to our community as a whole. After reading the following information you will have a greater understanding of what is planned for all children of Ontario and Best Start as the positive opportunity that it is for everyone who chooses to be involved.
To understand what Best Start means one must go back to April of 1999 when the Early Years Study was released. This study revealed new knowledge which has changed how we understand brain development. It is now clear that a child’s early years, from birth through to age six, have the most important influence on brain development and subsequent learning, behaviour and health than any other time in a persons life. The study points out that given the importance of the years 0 through 6 society must give at least the same amount of attention to this period of development as it does to the school and post- secondary education periods of human development. This is exactly what the last and current provincial governments have committed to doing.
In May of 2001 the Minister Responsible for Children and the Minister of Health and Long-term Care announced Ontario’s Vision for Children and the Early Year’s Plan (the means to make that vision a reality). The vision was (and still is): to lead the country by supporting parents and communities in raising children and ensuring they reach their full potential. The plan’s goal was to give this province’s children the best possible start in life; to ensure that they are physically and emotionally healthy, safe and secure, socially engaged and responsible, and have access to a range of learning activities to strengthen their readiness to learn. In an effort to meet this ambitious goal Ontario Early Years Centers were established in communities across the province. These centers were mandated to expand, enhance, and strengthen universal programs for children 0 through 6. The Rainy River Family Center (Rainy River Playschool Inc.) became the existing agency that would become the Ontario Early Years Center (OEYC) for this community. Since becoming an OEYC Site Rainy River Playschool Inc. has worked tirelessly to provide children and families in this community with universal and accessible early learning and parenting programs and to strengthen partnerships with other service providers to ensure a seamless continuum of services to meet early developmental needs.
The current government remains committed to providing the Best Start in life for the province’s children by building on what was started in 2001. The two factors which were conspicuously absent in the first plan were 1) addressing the needs in current childcare programs for increased licensed childcare spaces and 2) building strong links with the schools. The current governments Best Start Plan is designed to remove those gaps.
In a memorandum from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services in July of this year it is spelled out that the ongoing role of existing programs in childcare and family health,
education and social services is highly valued. Childcare and Early Learning, Ontario Early Years Centers, Healthy Babies Healthy Children, Preschool Speech and Language, Infant Development Programs and so many others make a huge difference in the lives of all the children and families that use them. The goal now of Best Start is to make such programs more readily available in a convenient and easily accessible location for parents so that they will be used by more families who need them.
Best Start is a province wide investment in the future of our children and our communities. It is time to embrace this opportunity and work together as parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and providers of children’s and family’s services to give our children the best chance at future success. After all today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. For more information log on to the Ministry website (www.children.gov.on.ca) or visit the Rainy River Family Resource Center for a copy of the website information.
What could be negative about providing the children of Rainy River and surrounding Municipalities with the best possible start in life? Isn’t that what we all want for our children? Take part in the upcoming community consultations as they are advertised so that the vision of our community, and the hopes and dreams we have for our children can be realized.

–Dianne McCormack
President, Rainy River Playschool Inc.

P.S. Please note that in July of 2004, several months before the government announced its Best Start Plan, Rainy River and the West End of the Rainy River District was identified by the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (RRDSSAB) as a priority for establishing a Licensed Childcare Center. (Currently the nearest licensed center is in Devlin.) At that time Rainy River Playschool Inc. began the process of applying for funding to be the service provider for childcare in the west end of the district. We are continuing to work on the proposal and are excited about seeing all of our hard work finally coming together. It is with great anticipation that we look forward to providing this valuable service within the town of Rainy River to its children and families as well as those of the surrounding Municipalities.