The Head Start program conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services
Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition and parenting support program for low-income families. The aim of the program is to help families build stable relationships, improve children’s physical and emotional well-being, and provide an environment for the development of sound cognitive skills. In addition, by supporting children’s transition from preschool to primary school, it aims to enable them to communicate with other peers, adapt to the classroom and meet the expectations of the school.
The Head Start program was founded by Jule Sugarman and Bernice H in 1965. It was started by Fleiss and initially aimed to provide low-income children with a quick learning opportunity in the style of summer school. Later, the program was expanded with the Head Start Law passed in 1981. The program was revised and updated in December 2007, and by the end of 2005, more than 22 million children had participated in the program. Dr. Khari Garvin currently serves as the director of the Head Start program.
Services and Programs
In total, Head Start provides services to more than 1 million children and their families every year in urban and rural areas, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the territories of the United States. The program includes health services such as health screenings, medical examinations and dental check-ups, while family advocates also offer support to parents in accessing community resources. These services, which are designed specifically for the culture and experience of each family, also aim to support the social and emotional development of children.
Early Head Start: Focuses on supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes, healthy families and the development of babies and young children from birth.
Early Head Start: Focuses on supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes, healthy families and the development of babies and young children from birth.
Head Start: Provides healthy development and early childhood education for low Decile income children between the ages of three and five.
Family and Community Partnerships: Help parents set their own goals, raise their children, and advocate for communities that support children and families.
Migrant and Seasonal Services (Migrant and Seasonal Services): It is aimed at the children of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers. The service hours are longer than the traditional Head Start, and the programs continue for a shorter period of time.
Services for Indigenous Americans (Services for Indigenous Americans): Provides services to native Americans on reservations and in urban communities.
Homeless Children: With the 2007 reauthorization, it explicitly includes homeless children. Programs should provide services to homeless children and their families within a reasonable period of time. In addition, according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001, it must also provide access to early childhood education, such as Head Start, for homeless children and their families.
Tri-Counties Regional Center (Tri-Counties Regional Center): One of the 21 non-profit regional centers that offer lifelong services and support to individuals with developmental disabilities living in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties of California.
Early Start: This ensures that services for eligible infants and toddlers are coordinated and family-centered, as required by federal law. This program is a system of early intervention services for infants and young children from birth to 36 months. Services are coordinated by regional centers and public school districts. Each eligible child is assigned by a Service Coordinator who is responsible for the coordination of services. Eligible children and their families can benefit from a variety of early intervention services offered in the child’s natural environment, based on the family’s priorities and resources, which may include areas such as special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech/language therapy. In addition, there are Family Resource Centers to provide support to parents.