Advocating for quality early care and education has been an Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) priority for many years, starting with the commitment to ensure that children in disadvantaged communities have the opportunity for state-funded, full-day preschool. ACNJ firmly believes that the path to success in school and in life starts with high-quality early education. A child's brain develops rapidly in these early years, building the foundation for later learning, behavior and health. Early relationships, environments and experiences set the stage for what happens later in life. Good experiences support healthy growth and development. Family instability, poverty, poor health care and low-quality early learning environments can adversely impact long-term health and development. How is New Jersey getting it right from the start for its youngest residents? This year's state Kids Count Report--Babies Count--provides a framework, tracking how well infants and toddlers are doing, who they are and the challenges they face. As a lead partner in the Right from the Start NJ campaign and as the organization chosen to spearhead the national ZERO TO THREE Think Babies™ campaign for New Jersey, ACNJ's recent work has focused on what babies and their families need to thrive. Three components are critically important to ensure the healthy development of children right from the start: (1) Parents must be supported as their child's first and best teacher; (2) Good health care must be accessible to mothers and their babies, starting prenatally; and (3) Young children must have access to high-quality child care as their first educational experience outside the family.