Programs

The Head Start Preschool 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. 

About the Head Start Program 

The Head Start Preschool 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. Education, health, nutrition, mental health, disabilities services and family services are provided to support the child’s development and learning. As the child’s first and most important teacher, parents are an important partner in these services and are supported in their learning in topics related to their child’s development, child and adult literacy and personal skill development. 

Teachers work with children to develop letter and word recognition, math and science concepts, cooperative play and many other skills that will prepare them for a successful elementary school experience and help them grow to their full potential. 

Part Day/Part Year Services 

Children attend a half day preschool with other children their age. Centers are located in American Canyon, Napa, Vallejo, Fairfield, Suisun and Vacaville. Word recognition, math and science concepts, cooperative play and many other skills that will prepare them for a successful elementary school experience and help them grow to their full potential. 

Full Day/Full Year Services 

Parents who are working or going to school full time (30 hours or more) may qualify for full day year round services. Classrooms are located in Fairfield, Vacaville and Napa. (The Napa center is located on the campus of Health and Human Services and specific referral requirements exist).  

For more information, please call:
1-866-573-4274

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. 

About the Early Head Start Program 

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. The program offers both center based services and home based services. 

The scope of services in Early Head Start is comprehensive and includes developmental screening, ongoing observation and assessment, and curriculum planning; medical, dental, and mental health services; child development and education; family partnerships and goal setting; and community collaborations to meet additional family needs. 

Home-Based Services 

The EHS Home-Based Model provides high-quality child development and parent support services with an emphasis on the role of the parent as the child’s first, and most important relationship. The home-based option is designed for families in which the home is the child’s primary learning environment. Participants in the EHS home-based model receive a combination of weekly home visits and regularly scheduled group socializations. 

Services are offered in both Solano County (Fairfield, Suisun, Vacaville and Vallejo) and Napa County (Napa and American Canyon). 

Prenatal Services 

For Early Head Start programs enrolling pregnant women, home visits are conducted to ensure pregnant women have access to comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care. A home visit is also used to provide prenatal education on topics such as fetal development, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery (including maternal depression), and the benefits of breastfeeding. Once the baby is born, the family is automatically enrolled in the Early Head Start program. 

  For more information, please call:
1-866-573-4274 

Child Start has developed a Child Care Partnership (CCP) program designed to strengthen the quality and impact of licensed child care centers and family child care homes throughout Napa and Solano counties. Utilizing the Early Head Start model, Child Start works with partners to increase their 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.

The General Child Care and Development (CCTR) Program and the California State Preschool Program have contracts with Child Start Inc. to provide services to eligible families for children aged from birth to five years of age. The California Department of Social Services, California Department of Education, and the Office of Head Start determine eligibility and priority admission guidelines. There are no fees or charges for the Early Head Start/Head Start program, however, the CCTR and CSPP programs may have nominal fees for the full-day program. These programs operate twelve months a year, five days per week, and provide comprehensive services for children within the local community. Comprehensive services include education, disabilities, social services, health, mental health, nutrition, school readiness, and family engagement. 

In partnership with families, Child Start integrates meaningful learning experiences into daily routines and classroom environments, fostering strong relationships between children, educators, and caregivers. By implementing a consistent, high-quality curriculum across programs, Child Start ensures equitable learning opportunities that prepare children for a successful transition to kindergarten and beyond.

The first five years of a child’s life are foundational for developing a love of books, language, and learning. Sharing stories with children from infancy through age five not only prepares them for kindergarten—it builds the foundation for lifelong learning. Parents play the most important role in motivating young children to fall in love with books and become confident readers.

Create a Bright Future for Your Child

Children who build early connections to books enter school better prepared to learn. Your excitement about reading helps spark your child’s curiosity and makes early learning fun. Raising A Reader gives families the tools and support needed to establish strong early literacy habits that prepare children for success in school, work, and life.

To participate in Raising A Reader, contact your child’s preschool teacher, child care provider, or local community family center.

Raising A Reader Inspires Early Learning

• Stimulating infant, toddler and preschool development through talking, reading aloud, and singing
• Supporting sensitive, nurturing parent-child interactions
• Building child’s awareness of spoken and written language
• Expanding vocabulary, knowledge, imagination, and creativity
• Enhancing children’s ability to listen
• Promoting self-confidence and teaches responsibility
• Providing an easy and convenient way to bring books into the home
• Helping parents feel confident about the quality and variety of available books
• Providing multi-cultural books in English and Spanish
• Encouraging a family routine of having more “special time” together
• Strengthening partnerships between parents and teachers