Summary of 2024-2025 Results
- The program was offered in 4 different regions in Ontario and welcomed our first out-of-province Program Partner
- 61 programs in total were delivered
- 562 families participated in the Baby Connections
- 576 babies received a complete Baby Connections kit to take home. (Four families with twins received a kit for each baby.)
- Participants included babies between 6-12 months of age, parents, grandparents, families new to Canada and families from equity deserving groups
- The program was also delivered one-on-one by trained Facilitators who implement the Region of Waterloo Public Health’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children program (screens all new births and supports those deemed at high-risk with at-home visits) and the Infant and Child Development program (provides services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers at risk of or who are experiencing developmental delay).
Impact
- Data analysis for the 2023-2024 program year is based on the 278 submitted forms, indicating a 49% completion rate. The analysis of the responses clearly shows the impact of the program.
- 94% of participants increased their literacy awareness, with 83% indicating they learned a lot in the program.
- 96% of participants changed their literacy habits after attending the program, with 85% indicating they made many changes.
- 99% of participants feel they are more informed about where to seek help, with 85% indicating they learned a lot about where to seek help.
- 99% parents/caring adults indicated they use the materials from the Baby Connections Kit with their baby at least 1-2 times per week, with 66% indicating they use them many times per week, multiple times per day.
Our consistent program results demonstrate that the Baby Connections program effectively increases parents’, guardians’, and other caring adults’ literacy awareness and engagement in meaningful interactions with their babies—interactions that foster brain development and support the growth of language and early literacy skills. The feedback we receive from parents and caregivers each year further reinforces the value and importance of the Baby Connections program to families.
Feedback from Parents/Caring Adults
The feedback from the 2024–2025 program was overwhelmingly positive, with participants describing the meaningful impact the program has had on how they interact with their babies. Parents and caregivers reported that they are reading, singing, and playing with their babies more often. These meaningful face-to-face interactions are strengthening the bond between parent and child, and participants shared that they now feel more confident and knowledgeable about how to engage with their babies and support their learning.