EARLY HEAD START

							   Created in 1995

   68 programs

   Based on recommendations from
    ◦ Advisory Committee on Services for Families with
      Infants and Toddlers in September 1994
   Scientifically based curriculum
   Parent education and involvement
   Home visits in addition to parent conferences
    by education staff
   Full complement of comprehensive services
   Social service staff – resource and referrals
   Transition
   Community collaborations
   Meeting needs of special populations
   Basic EHS philosophy is that the healthy
    development of young children (especially
    those birth to age 3) is contingent upon
    healthy relationships with the important
    adults in their lives
   Cognitive and physical developmental gains
    are achieved through these relationships
   Kindergarten readiness is a combination of all
    three
Home based
Center based
Family child care
Expectant women
Combination
   Weekly home visits
    ◦ 90 minutes
    ◦ Focus on parent/child
      relationships
    ◦ Child development
    ◦ Parental goals toward
      self-sufficiency
    ◦ Resource and referral


   Bi monthly
    socializations
   Primary care-givers

   Continuity of care

   Social service staff

   Small group size
Home visits bi-monthly

2-4 days group

Parent education and involvement
   Specific regulations

   Educators must have
    CDA within 2 years

   Must use curriculum
    based on scientific
    research

   Home visits, full
    complement of
    comprehensive
    services
   Individualized
    schedule of visit
   Some visits include
    nurse
   Education on:
    ◦ Breastfeeding
    ◦ Post-partum depression
    ◦ Fetal development
   Includes partners
   Birth plan
  ◦ Higher scores in              ◦ More supportive
    cognitive, language and         parenting
    social-emotional              ◦ Higher number of
    development                     language and learning
                                    rich environments
  ◦ Less aggressive behaviors     ◦ Read to child more
                                  ◦ Spanked less
  ◦ More attentive during         ◦ More self-sufficient
    play with fathers             ◦ Greater health benefits
                                  ◦ Fathers were less
  ◦ Increased gains when            intrusive in play
    enrolled early

Benefits for children           Benefits to parents