Our approach not only fosters the cognitive, social, and emotional development of the child but also strengthens the parent-child bond and equips families with the skills and confidence to navigate the early years of their child's life. By nurturing both the parent-child relationship and the child's individual growth, Early Head Start sets the stage for a lifetime of success and well-being.
What Can I Expect from Early Head Start Programs?
Our Early Head Start program aims to foster children's development and empower parents to effectively fulfill their parenting roles and work towards self-reliance. Early Head Start initiatives offer services similar to those in the Head Start program but are customized to address the specific needs of infants and toddlers. This program focuses on nurturing the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth of young children through safe and enriching care. This sets the stage for their ongoing progress and eventual success in both school and life. Early Head Start includes age-appropriate activities and books, advocacy resources, and various health screenings. Through a combination of targeted activities, Early Head Start engages both children and families in enriching learning experiences that yield developmental growth.
During their time in our Early Head Start program, you can expect your little one to experience:
Fun, educational, age-appropriate
activities and books
Nutritious meals and snacks
Inclusion of children with disabilities
Vision, hearing, height, weight, and development screenings
Bi-lingual staff and interpreters
For parents, we also include:
- Prenatal, parenting, and child development education
- Family involvement opportunities
- Advocacy, resource information, and referrals
- Home visits
The comprehensive Early Head Start program recognizes parents as their child's foremost educators and empowers them with the knowledge and resources needed to support their child's development. Like the broader Head Start model, Early Head Start initiatives offer crucial support to parents, assisting them in their capacity as primary caregivers and educators for their children. The programs help families in achieving personal goals and attaining self-sufficiency in various areas, including stable housing, continued education, and financial stability. Additionally, Early Head Start programs collaborate with the local community to ensure the availability of a comprehensive range of services and resources for both children and families. For enrollment, a child must be younger than three years old on September 1st.
"The Early Head Start program helped my child open up and interact a lot more. I recommend it to other parents."
— Reach-Up Early Head Start Parent
"The Early Head Start
program helped my child
open up and interact a lot
more. I recommend it
to other parents."
— Reach-Up Early Head Start Parent
Early Head Start Program Options
We believe in supporting parents and their children in whatever setting is best for them. Our Early Head Start program offers two different options, including:
Home-Based:
- No cost
- Families meet with their home visitor for an hour and a half, once a week
- Families receive home visits that enhance relationship-building between parents and children
- Families and Socialization Days are held two times a month for group activities
- Snacks are provided at Socialization Days
Child Care Center:
- Children receive Head Start and child care in a licensed child care center
- Childcare fee of $20/day
- Early Head Start is provided at no cost from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on program days
- The center is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
- Breakfast, lunch, and a snack are provided
- To be eligible, a parent must work at least 30 hours a week or attend school full-time
- Staffed one adult for every four children
"Early Head Start is the greatest thing a parent/guardian can do for a child! It encourages growth, creativity and self-improvement...even for the parents too!"
— Reach-Up Early Head Start Parent
"Early Head Start
is the greatest thing a parent/guardian can do
for a child! It encourages growth, creativity and
self-improvement...even
for the parents too!"
— Reach-Up Early Head Start Parent