The Early Head Start program promotes healthy prenatal outcomes and enhances the development of infants and toddlers from 6 weeks old to 3 years old and pregnant women, in order to create a healthy family environment.
This program is offered in two different settings:
- Early Head Start Center-based: Services are located in child development centers. More than half of Head Start children are enrolled in center-based services, five days per week for at least six hours per day.
- Early Head Start Home-based: Services are mostly delivered in a family’s own home, along with planned group socialization activities.
Both home- and center-based include educational, developmental, nutritional, mental health and wellness, social and prenatal support services.