In support of the Minister, the Secretariat uses a variety of communications vehicles to help families learn about the resources available to them. The Secretariat provided information and developed a coordinated action plan to implement the government's response to the Study. The Early Years Study reveals that a child's brain development in the first six years of life sets the foundation for life-long learning, behaviour and health. To maximize children's potential in the formative years we will ensure that every child in Ontario has the opportunity for the best possible start in life. Under the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program, a public health nurse will telephone all new mothers within 48 hours of the day of hospital discharge to follow up on how the mother and child are doing and will offer an in-home visit.
Partnerships are also important for enhancing services and supports for children and families.
Bringing people together in this way will assist the Minister and Secretariat in providing advice to government and others on priorities and further steps that can be taken to benefit Ontario's children now and for generations to come. 2 New focus on children's early years is based on best practice research and information from the 1998 Early Years Study. Staff numbers are shown as full-time equivalents. These FTEs are not contained within the MCSS figures. M in new operating funds to support the Secretariat's policy research, program management and communications functions.