Description

Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide free learning and development services to children ages birth to 5 from low-income families. Early Head Start and Head Start welcome children with disabilities.

Some Early Head Start programs also provide prenatal services for pregnant women.

Eligibility is generally based on family income at or below the poverty level according to the Poverty Guidelines published by the federal government. Children in foster care, homeless children, and children from families receiving public assistance (TANF or SSI) are eligible regardless of income.

Contact the Head Start or Early Head Start in your community to find out about their local requirements for enrolling your child.

Your community’s Head Start can help you with understanding local requirements for enrolling your child. They will answer questions, provide you with required forms, and tell you what documents you should bring with you to apply.

Due to limited government funding, there are not enough spaces for all eligible children. If there is not a space for you and your child at this time, ask the program to put your family on the waiting list.

Use the list below or the Head Start Locator to find a Head Start program near your home. Call the phone number listed to find out the next steps in the process.

If you need more help to find a Head Start program near your home, call (toll-free) 1-866-763-6481 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. ET or use the “Contact Us” link at the top of the page.

Head Start programs prepare America’s most vulnerable young children to succeed in school and in life beyond school. To achieve this, Head Start programs deliver services to children and families in core areas of early learning, health, and family well-being while engaging parents as partners every step of the way.

Head Start encompasses Head Start preschool programs, which primarily serve 3- and 4-year-old children, and Early Head Start programs for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. Head Start services are delivered nationwide through 1,600 agencies which tailor the federal program to the local needs of families in their service area.

Head Start programs promote school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by supporting their development in a comprehensive way.

Head Start and Early Head Start programs offer a variety of service models, depending on the needs of the local community. Many Head Start and Early Head Start programs are based in centers and schools. Other programs are located in child care centers and family child care homes.  Some programs offer home-based services that assigned dedicated staff who conduct weekly visits to children in their own home and work with the parent as the child’s primary teacher.

Over fifty years ago Head Start began as a program for preschoolers.  Today 3- and 4-year-olds make up over 80 percent of the children served by Head Start programs each year.  Early Head Start was created to serve pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. Early Head Start programs are available to the family until the child turns 3 years old and is ready to transition into Head Start or another pre-K program.  Just recently, many Early Head Start programs have been funded to partner directly with existing infant and toddler child care programs, resulting in higher quality services to all children enrolled in the child care program.

Head Start programs support children’s growth and development in a positive learning environment through a variety of services, which include

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  Early learning: Children’s readiness for school and beyond is fostered through individualized learning experiences. Through relationships with adults, play, and planned and spontaneous instruction, children grow in many aspects of development. Children progress in social skills and emotional well-being, along with language and literacy learning, and concept development

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  Health: Each child’s perceptual, motor, and physical development is supported to permit them to fully explore and function in their environment. All children receive health and development screenings, nutritious meals, oral health and mental health support. Programs connect families with medical, dental, and mental health services to ensure that children are receiving the services they need.

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  Family well-being: Parents and families are supported in achieving their own goals, such as housing stability, continued education, and financial security. Programs support and strengthen parent-child relationships and engage families around children’s learning and development.

Delivered through 1,700 agencies in local communities, Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide services to over a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory, in farmworker camps, and in over 155 tribal communities. Head Start programming is responsive to the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage of each child and family

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