Established in 1965, Head Start is a federally-funded child development program designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs.
Head Start’s approach is that the parent is the child’s primary educator and that the entire family, as well as the community, must be involved in guiding and nurturing the child. Research has shown that Head Start children are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, and earn a post-secondary degree, license or certification. Their parents and caregivers are also more likely to increase their educational levels, too! Over the past four decades, Head Start has touched the lives of more than 250,000 low-income preschool children and families at more than 140 locations in San Diego County.
Early Head Start focuses on children six weeks to three years of age, as well as pregnant and post-partum, low-income women and provides:
- Parenting classes
- Individualized plans for children
- Transition services for children moving onto preschool
Studies also show that Early Head Start parents are more emotionally nurturing, give a lot more support for language and learning, and have less family conflict, and mothers have lower rates of depression.
The Head Start preschool program is designed to help children ages 3-5 get ready for kindergarten and provides:
- Child health, mental health, nutrition and family social services
- Training and workshops for parents
The Neighborhood House Association’s (NHA) Head Start and Early Head Start programming aims to meet the emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs of San Diego County’s youngest residents and their caregivers. Interested in seeing what Head Start programming can do for you and your child? Find out more and apply today at: https://www.neighborhoodhouse.org/nha-programs/head-start/