Child Growth and Development

The Early Years Matter!

The first six years of a child’s life are a time of rapid growth and development. When parents, caregivers and health professionals understand children's developmental needs and milestones, they can better support healthy growth, learning and well-being. Identifying growth and development concerns early is an important step in making sure that children get the help they need and are ready to learn when they start school.

Explore our tools and resources to help children thrive from birth to age six.

Introducing: Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway

York Region Children’s Services has partnered with the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion (IEMHP) team to develop the Infant and Early Mental Health (IEMH) Care Pathway.

More than 25 community organizations with interdisciplinary backgrounds collaborated to support SickKids and York Region in developing this pathway.

York Region IEMH Pathway Map

Child Growth and Development Tools and Resources for Parents

The Looksee Checklist

The Looksee Checklist is an easy-to-use tool designed to help monitor a child’s development from one month to six years of age. It features a short list of “yes” or “no” questions about the child’s abilities, with parenting tips to promote ongoing development. It also includes important skills that a child should master by a particular age and touches on all areas of development. It is available in multiple languages.

The Looksee checklist helps parents:

  • Learn about their child's development
  • Recognize their child's skills and abilities
  • Identify possible developmental areas that may need extra attention
  • Plan intervention strategies, including referrals to qualified professionals, if required

Connect with us today to get:

  • FREE checklists about children’s expected development
  • Activities to encourage children’s growth and development

Contact Health Connection Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (leave a message after hours, we will contact you during operating hours).

Call 1-800-361-5653 or dial 711 with a TTY device or chat live at york.ca/NurseChat

The Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway

Importance of the Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway

The first six years of a child’s life are critical to their overall development and lay the foundation for positive mental health and well-being.

Infant and early mental health, also referred to as social-emotional development, is reflected by a child’s growing ability from infancy to age six to:

  • Express and regulate their emotions
  • Form close and secure relationships
  • Explore their environment

Research indicates when early social-emotional risks go unrecognized or unaddressed, they can contribute to later mental health challenges. These may include difficulties with school readiness and performance, as well as long-term impacts on both mental and physical well-being throughout a child’s life.

Supporting children’s mental health before the age of six provides the strongest opportunity to foster healthy development, build resilience and promote positive lifelong well-being.

The first step in supporting a child is to have a developmental screening done by an Access Network Agency that will complete the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) for the child. Several agencies across York Region are designated ASQ screening sites to help reduce wait times, increase accessibility and ensures families can receive support as soon as possible. Upon completion of the ASQ, a developmental support plan (DSP) and/or appropriate referrals to a community agency for additional services and supports can be made.

Concerns regarding a child’s development, not related to social and emotional well-being, should be referred, with parental consent or by parents directly, to Early Intervention Services (EIS) and/or the York Region Preschool Speech and Language Program (YRPSLP). Complete and fax a developmental screen (Early Referral Identification Kit (ERIK)) and send the EIS and YRPSLP referral form to the Early Intervention Services Intake line at 905-762-2115, or by email to @email. If the child is attending licensed child care, please complete the Inclusion Support Services consultation request form to access EIS services in the Early Learning and Child Care Centre.

For more information about the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Pathway initiative, visit Infant and Early Mental Health Initiative in Ontario.

Access Network Agencies

Within the Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway, Access Network Agencies provide a coordinated approach, where trusted community partners work together to ensure families receive early mental health screening, guidance and support, without needing to navigate the system on their own.

List of Access Network Agencies in York Region

York Hills Centre for Infants, Children, Youth and Families

Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)

EarlyON Child and Family Programs in York Region

York Region Public Health’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) Program

Key Benefits of Access Network Agencies

A Clear Point of Access

Families with children infancy to age six connect through local community partners to ensure they receive clear entry points, consistent processes and shared responsibility for navigation and support.

Collaboration and shared pathways

Multiple partners work together to provide coordinated, responsive care and follow aligned processes for screening, early recognition, consultation, brief supports and warm transfers to appropriate services.

Coordinated Access

Partners communicate across services to support smooth transitions, timely access, and a “no wrong door” approach.

Collective Expertise

Each partner brings unique strengths, contributing to a stronger and more responsive system of care for children and families.

Resources

The Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit

One and a half years is an important milestone in a child's growth and development. It is important for parents to take their child to visit a health care provider at this time.

Ontario has funded a longer, more in-depth 18-month visit. Parents should ask their health care provider about this Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit or visit the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services website or machealth Ontario's Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit website to learn more.

Rourke Baby Record for Parents 

The Rourke Baby Record (RBR) for Parents website is a place to find reliable parent-friendly resources and is designed to help parents answer questions about children up to age five years.

Building Healthy Brains 

Brains aren’t just born, they’re built!

Early childhood experiences shape children’s brain development and positive, nurturing relationships play a vital role. Learn how to promote children’s healthy brain development and to help better prepare them for school.

Visit york.ca/BuildingHealthyBrains to learn more about building a healthy brain for your child.

The Brain Hero Video from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University is an amazing three-minute video that depicts how the actions of a range of people in the family and community can affect a child’s development.

Speech and Language

Oak Valley Health Child Development Programs (CDP) offers services to children from birth to kindergarten in three programs: Hearing, Speech & Language and Blind-Low Vision. Visit Oak Valley Health's Child Development Programs website for more information.

Mental Health and Wellness in Pregnancy and Parenthood

Pregnancy or having a baby is not always easy. Adjusting to parenthood can be challenging for many families. Visit Mental Health and Wellness in Pregnancy and Parenthood for information on programs and services.

Nutrition and Breastfeeding

Eating is much more than just nutrition. Feeding your baby is the start of their relationship with food and eating. To find out more about proper nutrition for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, visit the Feeding Babies and Young Children page.

See also Children Services for information on York Region’s programs, subsidies and resources for parents and child care providers.

York Region also provides programs, services and information designed for parents to help their children grow and develop.

Information for Parents Who do not Have a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner

Health Care Connect helps Ontarians who do not have a family health care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) find one. This service refers families to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner in their community who is accepting new patients.

Parents may also choose to visit a walk-in clinic in their area.

Tools and Resources for Healthcare and Child care Professionals

Child and Family Health Programs Referral Form

The Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) Program is voluntary and offered at no cost to families. HBHC Public Health Nurses and Family Visitors provide information, support, and links to community resources for eligible women and their families from the prenatal period up to the transition to school.

To make a referral, complete the Referral to Child and Family Health Programs form.

Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway

The Infant and Early Mental Health Care pathway map is a visual guide for health practitioners / professionals and early learning and community providers in how to direct families with children from birth to six years of age, who have a concern about their child's social or emotional development to identify when access to mental health services for infants, young children and their care providers is required.

The earlier a referral can be made for a child(ren), the better the outcomes for them and their families.

To refer a client or a family, please obtain consent from the family and then connect with one of the Access Network Agencies in York Region.

Resources

Breast Pump Discretionary Benefit Program

The Breast Pump Discretionary Benefit Program is a joint program run by York Region Community and Health Services Department, and the Ministry of Community and Social Services, York Region Ontario Works (OW) and York Region Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). The program ensures that participants receiving financial assistance through OW and ODSP have adequate funds to obtain a breast pump when necessary to protect breastfeeding and provide infants and growing children with as much breastmilk as possible.

Online Application form

Red Flags Guide

The York Region 2019 Red Flags guide is a quick reference tool to assist early years and health care professionals in knowing when and where to refer children from birth to the age of six years for whom there are potential health, growth and development concerns.

Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit

Ontario's Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit Information and brochure

Early Years Support Services Registry (EYSSR)

The EYSSR is a resource for health professionals in York Region who wish to refer a young child aged zero to six years or their family for support services. The registry contains information about programs and services related to child development, child mental health, family support and training, childcare supports and screening tools.

Rourke Baby Record

The Rourke Baby Record (RBR) is a system many Canadian doctors and healthcare professionals use for well-baby and well-child visits for infants and children one week to five years of age. It includes forms for charting well-baby visits as well as supporting resources.

Brain Architecture

The Center on the Developing Child provides information on brain architecture and how a child’s brain is shaped. The video Building Adult Capabilities to Improve Child Outcomes: A Theory of Change depicts a theory of change from the Frontiers of Innovation community for achieving breakthrough outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

On Track

On Track is an online reference guide available through Best Start by Health Nexus. On Track provides professionals who work with young children and families with indicators of healthy child development from birth to six years of age.

Mental Health and Wellness in Pregnancy and Parenthood

Pregnancy or having a baby is not always easy. The adjustment to parenthood can be challenging for many families. Visit Mental Health and Wellness in Pregnancy and Parenthood for information on and referral to the Transition to Parenting program and other supports.

Mental Health and Well-being

Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention is integral to the work of York Region Public Health from service delivery right though to early identification and referral. Visit Mental Health and Wellbeing for information on programs and services.

Related Resources

External Resources

Links to other sites are provided as a reference to assist in identifying internet resources that are available on a particular subject. Internet resources are not substitutes for the advice of a qualified medical practitioner. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy or appropriateness of the information contained on these sites, nor do we necessarily endorse the viewpoints on these sites.