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Archived News Article: Information may be out of date
June 22, 2022

Get Ahead with Head Start

Get Ahead with Head Start
Get Ahead with Head Start

Early childhood development is a crucial stage of life for a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development. In this article, you will learn about the Head Start program and other early education opportunities that may be available for your child.

What is Head Start?

Head Start is a federal program that encourages school readiness of children from birth to age five from low-income families to improve intellectual, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs provide a learning environment that supports children's growth in many areas such as language, literacy, and social and emotional development. Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child's first and most important teacher and helps build relationships with families that support family well-being.

Many Head Start programs also provide Early Head Start, which serves infants, toddlers, and pregnant women and their families with incomes below the federal poverty level.

To find out if you may be eligible, visit the Head Start program page on Benefits.gov.

How do I apply for Head Start?

To apply for Head Start, contact the program serving your community using the Head Start Locator tool. Your local program will provide the required forms and answer your questions. They will also tell you what documents you should bring with you to apply.

Head Start Resources

If you have questions, take a look at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Frequently Asked Questions about Head Start. You can also visit the Office of Head Start to learn more about Head Start services and locations.

If you’re looking for more benefits for early childhood education, browse the Family and Children Services category on Benefits.gov. You can also check out the Benefits.gov Newsroom for additional related articles. Take the Benefit Finder to see which other benefit programs you may be eligible to receive.

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