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About Child Start

Developing Children, Loving Families, Great Opportunities, Strong Communities.

Child Start is committed to the development of the whole child—educationally, socially, and emotionally—through our Head Start/Early Head Start programs and in collaboration with community programs and services that benefit low-income families.
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Programs

Head Start

The Head Start program is designed to support school readiness for children prior to their entrance to kindergarten, by providing an array of services in a center-based setting.

If your child is 3 or 4 years old by December 3rd of the current enrollment year, you may qualify for Head Start services.

Learn more about Head Start >

Apply for Head Start (English)
Apply for Head Start (Español)

Early Head Start

The Early Head Start program is designed to create partnerships between staff and parents to provide a solid foundation of social, emotional, physical and cognitive development for children in their care.

If your child is 0-36 months (has not turned 3 years of age by December 3rd of the current enrollment year), you may qualify for Early Head Start services.

Learn about Early Head Start >

Apply for Early Head Start (English)
Apply for Early Head Start (Español)

Raising A Reader

Sharing and reading books with children from infancy to age five prepares them for kindergarten and establishes a foundation for lifelong learning. As a parent, you have the strongest influence in motivating your child to fall in love with books and to become a good reader.

Learn about Raising a Reader >

Child Care Partnerships

Child Start has developed a Child Care Partnership (CCP) program that will strengthen the quality and impact of child care and other family services in the communities we serve. Administered through our Early Head Start program, CCPs will increase our community’s capacity to provide infant and toddler care in high-quality environments; strengthen support of working parents by increasing access to a broad range of integrated services; and enhance coordination of service delivery among agencies and organizations serving children and families. The partnership ensures that comprehensive services for children and families are provided based on their individual needs.

Learn about Child Care Partnerships >

Program Goals

  • To ensure children are healthy
  • To help children make the most of their early education
  • To help children develop a foundation for success in school and in life

We focus on strengthening families through parent engagement, school readiness programs, and health and social services. We do this work in cooperation and connection with our families, our partners and our communities.

Program Outcomes

Child Start serves more than 1,000 low-income families in the Head Start program each year. Without the benefit of participation in a Head Start classroom or Early Head Start Home Visiting program, many children would begin kindergarten at a serious disadvantage.

2022-23 Child Start Impact on Children in Head Start:

1,076 children and 1,006 families served
49% Forty-nine percent of families served were unhoused, received public assistance, or were in foster care
88% of children in Head Start received age-appropriate preventive dental oral health care.
98% of children in Head Start were up to date on scheduled age-appropriate immunizations
98% percent of 4-year-old children are at or above "middle" range of literacy based on California Foundation Expectations.
206 Emergency/crisis intervention (e.g., meeting immediate needs for food, clothing, or shelter)
  • 1,076 children and 1,006 families served
  • 24% Twenty-four percent of families served in the 2021-2022 program year were homeless, received public assistance, or were in foster care.
  • Behavioral and socio-emotional screenings increased to 91%
  • 100% of children in Head Start were up to date on immunizations.
  • The percentage receiving mental health services increased to 80%
  • 206 Emergency/crisis intervention (e.g., meeting immediate needs for food, clothing, or shelter)

The Head Start Advantage

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