Influences on Early Childhood

Head Start is a program that provides preschool services to families with children ranging in age from 3 to 5 who live below the poverty line, earning $16,700 annually for a family of four. Head Start provides a range of individual services in the areas of education and early childhood development, medical, dental, mental health, nutrition, and parent involvement.
The mission of Head Start was, and still is, to increase a child’s everyday effectiveness in dealing with his or her present environment and future school responsibilities. Every program follows the same guidelines, but changes and adapts their particular program regularly to best meet the needs of the families they serve.