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ACF Region 1 - Boston

Head Start/Early Head Start

General Information

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused programs and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. Head Start began in 1965 in the Office of Economic Opportunity and is now administered by the Office of Head Start of Head Start in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Head Start provides comprehensive services to meet the goals of the following four components:

  • Education - Head Start's educational program is designed to meet the needs of each child, the community served, and its ethnic and cultural characteristics. Every child receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, social, and emotional growth.
  • Health - Head Start emphasizes the importance of the early identification of health problems. Every child is involved in a comprehensive health program, which includes immunizations, medical, dental, and mental health, and nutritional services.
  • Parent Involvement - An essential part of Head Start is the involvement of parents in parent education, program planning, and operating activities. Many parents serve as members of policy councils and committees and have a voice in administrative and managerial decisions. Participation in classes and workshops on child development and staff visits to the home allow parents to learn about the needs of their children and about educational activities that can take place at home.
  • Social Services - Specific services are geared to each family after its needs are determined. They include community outreach, referrals, family need assessments, recruitment and enrollment of children, and emergency assistance and/or crisis intervention.

Head Start has a long tradition of delivering comprehensive and high quality services designed to foster healthy development in low-income children. Head Start grantees operate at the community level. Programs must adhere to Head Start Performance Standards . The Head Start Program Performance Standards define the services that Head Start programs are to provide to the children and families they serve. They constitute the expectations and requirements that Head Start grantees must meet. They are designed to ensure that the Head Start goals and objectives are implemented successfully, that the Head Start philosophy continues to thrive, and that all grantees maintain the highest possible quality of services.

Monitoring and Oversight

Region 1 currently serves over 70 Head Start and Early Head Start programs in New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT). From the Maine Turnpike to Connecticut, Region 1 is providing Head Start services to ethnically and culturally diverse families. Each program is assigned a Program Specialist who provides federal oversight, guidance, technical assistance, and clarification on Head Start Performance Standards as well as any new policies, rules, or regulations. Head Start programs are monitored for compliance with Head Start Performance Standards every 3 years by a team of consultants with a Review Team Leader. Head Start review teams use the Office of Head Start Monitoring protocol to review Head Start programs.

In addition to working with grantees at the local level, one Program Specialist also works closely with the 6 New England states through the Head Start State Collaboration Projects.   

Technical Assistance

Region I works closely with grantees to ensure quality services to children and families. The goal is to provide quality services to every eligible family.  Our efforts are supported by the Region 1 Head Start Quality Initiative, a technical assistance contractor.  State child care and education agencies also contribute to the support of Head Start programs through additional state funding.

Improving Head Start

President Bush has made proposals to further improve school-readiness standards for the program, as well as provisions that would allow states to better integrate Head Start programs with other pre-school and education programs.  For more information on the Administration’s efforts to strengthen Head Start see the Office of Head Start website at www.hhs.gov/headstart/

Find the Head Start Grantee Near You

Connecticut - Maine - Massachusetts - New Hampshire - Rhode Island - Vermont