Find a Head Start Program

Head Start and Early Head Start takes a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of young children. There are four major content areas to Head Start:

• Education: Providing a variety of learning experiences to help children grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
   
• Health: Providing support for getting health services such as immunizations, dental, medical, and mental health, and nutritional services, and early identification of health problems.
   
• Parent Involvement: Involving parents in the planning and implementation of activities. Parents serve on policy councils and committees that make administrative decisions; participate in classes and workshops on child development; and volunteer in the program.
   
• Family Services: Providing outreach to families to determine what services they need.

The Head Start Model, developed over the decades, has been built on evidence-based practices and is constantly adapting - using the best available science and teaching techniques to meet the needs of local communities.

In addition to life and school preparedness, Head Start is also the nation’s laboratory for early learning innovation. Head Start offers a unique whole child/whole family model, coupled with a delivery system that includes local programs, national standards, monitoring, professional development, and family engagement.