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Early Head Start is a free program for low-income families with pregnant women, infants, and toddlers (ages 0-3).
What is the difference between Early Intervention and Early Head Start? Early Intervention provides services to children with developmental delays or disabilities. Early Head Start provides services to children of any developmental level. Early Intervention coordinates services and helps to ensure the child is receiving appropriate services for the child’s developmental delays or disabilities. Early Head Start works to improve the growth and development of the child as a family unit.
What makes Early Head Start different from Head Start? Early Head Start provides services to children between 0-3 years old and pregnant women. Head Start primarily serves children 4 years old, however they can serve children as young as three years old. Both programs are required to follow the Head Start Program Performance Standards set by the federal government.
Why is my child that is over 2 ½ years old not eligible? We transition all families out of our program on the child’s third birthday. It takes time to complete paper work, assessments on the child’s developmental level and family needs, and build rapport. Therefore, we do not begin services to a child older than 2 ½ years old. Head Start performance standards require us to begin transition planning 6 months prior to the child’s third birthday.
If my child is in Early Intervention can they also be in Early Head Start? A child can be enrolled in Early Head Start when they are in Early Intervention. Early Intervention works directly with the child on her/his developmental delay or disability and Early Head Start works with the family to learn new activities and information on development and resources to promote the family’s growth. The two programs can complement each other through their different services. |
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