What is Early Head Start?

    
Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally funded, community-based program for low-income pregnant women, children birth to age three, and their families.  The mission of Early Head Start is as follows:

• to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women;
• to enhance the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of very young children;
• to strengthen parents as the primary nurturers of their children; and
• to help parents move toward self-sufficiency and to promote healthy family functioning.

Brain development and the launch of Early Head Start
Research clearly demonstrates that to have a positive impact on the lives of children, we must start early.  Healthy prenatal development, and prenatal and postpartum care for new mothers, provides a sound foundation.  Recent findings from brain research show that the first three years of life are critical in children’s brain development.  In 1994, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services formed an Advisory Committee on Services for Families with Infants and Toddlers to design EHS, and the program was launched in 1995.

The “Cornerstones” of Early Head Start
The framework of the Early Head Start program includes a set of “Cornerstone” systems and services as follows.

• Child Development: Programs support the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development of each child. Parenting education and the support of a positive parent-child relationship are critical to this cornerstone, and include parenting and health education that is developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive.
• Family Development: Programs seek to strengthen and empower families by supporting parents in developing goals for themselves and their children. Staff and parents develop individualized plans that focus on the child’s developmental needs and the family’s social and economic needs.
• Community Building: Programs build a comprehensive network of services and supports for pregnant women and families with young children. The goal of these collaborative relationships is to increase family access to community supports, make the most efficient use of limited resources, and effect system-wide changes to improve the service delivery system for all families in the community.
• Staff Development: The success of the Early Head Start program rests largely on the quality of the staff. Staff members develop caring, supportive relationships with both children and families. Ongoing training, supervision, and mentoring encompasses an inter-disciplinary approach and emphasize relationship-building.
• Children with Special Needs: Early Head Start programs coordinate with programs providing services in accordance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Children with special needs are fully included in all program activities.