The development of children and their well-being is a collective responsibility involving many actors. One of the key orientations of the program is making use of the expertise of the partners while fully respecting the mandates of each one in order to act in a supportive and complementary manner. The collaboration between the different actors in the life of the child will allow: 

  • To better understand their needs and those of their family;
  • To determine more easily the necessary interventions.

Educational child care services, school environments (Kindergarten for 4-year-olds and 5-years-olds ), community institutions, community-based social paediatric institutes, family medicine groups and paediatric clinics are some of the key partners in the Agir Tôt program.

They play an important role in :

  • Detecting signs of vulnerability in children;
  • Referring children to the Agir Tôt program services if needed;
  • Supporting children's development, inclusion and social participation;
  • Accompanying parents at different stages of their journey;
  • Collaborating with the involved practitioners of the health-care and social services system.

How to refer a child and his/her family to the Agir Tôt program

When there are concerns about a child's development, several practitioners may now make a request:

  • Physicians, paediatricians or private practice workers; 
  • The educational child care team;
  • The kindergarten teacher or members of the in-school team;
  • The worker from the health and social services network or from a community organization

Please note! You must inform the parents of the referral process and you must obtain parental consent to refer the child and his/her family to the Agir Tôt program.

At the time of referral to the program, it is important to provide as much information about the child as possible, including:

  • Your concerns about the child's development;
  • The difficulties observed in the child and their impact on his/her daily functioning;
  • The child's strengths and those of his/her family;
  • Support deemed necessary.

If documentation concerning the child's development is already available, please attach it to the request (e.g., medical notes, educational records, teacher's observations, professional assessment report).

For more information or to submit a request for services, please complete the referral request for care and outreach services. 

To contact us

You can reach the central phone reception at any time by calling 418-684-JEFF (5333)/1-888-984-5333, ext. 0. To contact the Community Services reception desk or to request services, call 418-684-JEFF (5333)/1-888-984-5333, ext. 11805, or use the form on the Contact Us page. 

Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you need help outside of these hours, please call 811.

Subscribe to the newsletter to partners and users to be informed about the latest developments and progress of the provincial Agir Tôt Program.

Jeffrey Hale Community Services offers a range of services to support English-speaking parents of children aged 5 and under and help them connect with other English-speaking parents in the area.