Head Start Services
Head Start Program quality and integrated services are structured under 3
major areas: Early Childhood Development and Health Services, Family and
Community Partnerships, Program Design and Management.
Education
Children take part in a variety of learning experiences to help them develop socially,
intellectually, physically, and emotionally. They are encouraged to express their
feelings, to develop self-confidence, and the ability to get along with others.
Educational Curriculum is designed around developmental domains targeting
school readiness.
Parent Involvement
Head Start's philosophy is that parents are the prime educators of their children. This
concept is enhanced through parent education and program planning and by encouraging
parents to participate in making policy decisions, assist in classroom, home, or other
activities which increase self-confidence and family involvement.
Social Services
The Social Services component assists the family in its own efforts to improve the
condition and quality of family life. Information about local agencies is provided to each
family. The Social Services staff collaborates with and refers to other community agencies
for assistance with education, employment, literacy, medical, psychological, special needs
and other family needs.
Health
Head Start emphasizes the importance of early identification of health problems. The
program provides an organized health plan that includes screening, growth assessment,
vision, hearing, dental, immunizations, and provides follow-up treatment for identified
health problems. Parents are encouraged to become involved in the health care process
relating to their child.
Nutrition
Nutritious lunches and snacks are served family style to children in the Head Start
Program. An education program is planned to teach parents how to select healthy foods,
prepare well-balanced meals, and obtain other community assistance when needed.
Mental Health
Head Start recognizes the importance of providing mental health and psychological
services to children and families, to encourage their emotional and social development.
Area mental health professionals are available to the Head Start program to provide
training to staff and services to parents and children.
Services to Children with Disabilities
Head Start believes that all children can benefit from early intervention and
comprehensive evaluation and services. Staff members work closely with community agencies
to provide the training materials and services to meet the special needs of the child and
family. Services include professional diagnosis, referral to service providers, and
training for parents and staff to assure that the special needs of the child are met in
every way possible.
Eligibility Guidelines
Head Start is an equal opportunity program. Participation in the program and its
activities is without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or
disability.
Of the total Head Start enrollment, 90% must be children of families who meet federally
regulated income guidelines determined by the Department of Health and Human Services. 10
% of Head Start enrollment may be above income guidelines. 10 % of Head Start enrollment
must include children with disabilities. There is no fee for Head Start services. There
may, however, be additional requirements for some programs such as living within Head
Start service area or moving from an Indian reservation. Parents are expected to volunteer
time and talents.
Children must be three or four years old by September 1 to be considered for the Head
Start Program. Families with infants and toddlers ages 0-3 and expectant parents who meet
federally regulated income guidelines are eligible to participate in Early Head Starts.
National Head Start
Since 1965, when it was a six week summer program, funded by the Office of Economic
Opportunity, Head Start has evolved into a complex, comprehensive program serving local
communities in all the States, the Virgin Islands, Outer Pacific Islands, Indian
reservations and Migrants. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the
umbrella organization at the Federal level for Head Start. Overall administrative
responsibility for the Head Start program is vested in the Head Start Bureau, an
organizational component of the Administration on Children Youth and Families (ACYF)
within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The Bureau provides national
leadership and carries out a variety of planning, policy setting, budgeting and management
functions.
Regional offices work with local programs on a day to day basis. Funding, flows from the Federal level to Regional offices and
then to local communities. Unlike some of HHS's other programs, there is no state agency
through which the funding flows. Regional office specialists are responsible for
negotiation and monitoring of local program grants in the states within their respective
regions. All Indian program grants are funded through Regional Office XI, American Indian
Programs Branch, in Washington DC. Responsibility for Indian Head Start programs, whose
grantees are primarily federally recognized Indian tribes, rests with this regional
office.
The remaining Head Start programs are responsible to ten other regional offices. South
Dakota is in Region VIII with its regional office located in Denver.
Local communities plan programs that meet the needs of families unique to the area and
are expected to match federal funding with 20% of local resources. All programs, however,
adhere to the same basic philosophical principles that are:
* A child benefits from a comprehensive program that encourages normal development
and school readiness.
* Parents are the primary educators of their children and must be involved directly in
the program.
* Children's well-being depends on the well-being of the entire family.
* Partnerships with other community agencies and organizations are essential to meeting
family needs.
A Comprehensive Child Development Program
Head Start is a comprehensive program that provides educational, nutritional, health,
and social services to preschool children from low-income families. The program
strengthens relationships within the family by encouraging parent involvement in all
aspects of the program. Parents have a key role in Head Start because the program is based
on the concept that parents are the prime educators of their children. Head Start is
designed to meet each child's individual needs by providing a self-paced approach to
education. It also aims to meet the needs of the community served and its ethnic and
cultural characteristics. Various program options; center based, home based, Early Head
Starts, combination center/ home based, and school cooperative programs are available to
families according to program resources and community needs.
Center Based Head Start
Children are transported to a central location where they participate in
developmentally appropriate activities in a classroom setting for 4-6 hours, four-five
days a week, with usually no more than 20 other children and at least two staff members
and one volunteer. Two meals or a meal and a snack are provided. Every child receives a
variety of learning experiences, in individual, small, and large groups to foster
intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Children participate in indoor
and outdoor play and are introduced to words and numbers. They are encouraged to express
their feelings and to develop self- confidence and the ability to get along with others.
Generally one day a week is open for staff and parent meetings, training, home visits
and special activities.
Home Based Head Start
A Home Visitor goes into the home weekly and helps parents provide for their children
the same kinds of activities, experiences, and services provided in the center-based
program. Parents have the opportunity to meet and receive training during group meetings.
Early Head Start
Early Head Start programs serve families in South Dakota who have children 0-3 years of
age and expectant parents. The four cornerstones of the Early Head Start programs are:
Family Development, Child Development, Staff Development and Community Based. Services are
comprehensive, flexible, responsive, intensive, culturally appropriate, inclusive and
build on community collaboration.
Combination Option
This option includes attendance by the children at a center for two-three days a week
and the teacher does a weekly or bimonthly home visit. The services delivered are the same
as each of the home based and center based options.
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