How Families and Children Benefit
Your role as your child’s first and most important teacher is front and center in Head Start philosophy.
Since 1965, nearly 30 million low-income children and their families across the country, benefited from their child being enrolled in Head Start. Head Start supports each child to explore their own interests, learn through play, and at their own pace. In turn, children learn to love learning and to carry that love and confidence to kindergarten and beyond.
Head Start programs build relationships with families that support:
- Family well-being and positive parent-child relationships
- Family members as lifelong learners and lifelong educators
- Family engagement in your child’s transitions from preschool to school or Early Head Start to Head Start or to another child care program
- Family engagement with peers and community
- Family as an advocate and leader.
You can access guidance and resources at your Head Start program. Teachers and other staff partner with you and family members to build on parenting skills, career development, and connections with community resources. An individualized family assessment of strengths, needs, and goals allows you to determine what best suits your unique situation.
Families tell their stories
I love that the head start program is more than just about a child’s education, it’s about children and their families and making sure everyone is happy and healthy and ready to learn. Everybody gets what they need for success! I’m so glad all three of my children got to be a part of this wonderful organization.”
— Champlain Valley Head Start parent and policy council community representative
The Learning Together Center helped me and my two sons get a great head start with learning. Not to mention they helped my kids with more than education like teaching them and me the ways to handle behavior/feelings.”
— Capstone parent
To apply, find your local Head Start program.