ACF OPRE: Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES)

A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families: FACES Technical Report I

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Title Page

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

Section I: Introduction to the Study

		1.0 Introduction to the Study
				Purposes of the Study Head Start Growth and Challenges Head Start Families Head Start Program Performance Measures Conceptual Framework Overview of the Design of the Study Organization of the Report

Section II: Head Start Children and Families

	Chapter I: Introduction to the Parent Interview
		1.1 Overview
			Research Questions Content of the Parent Interview
		1.2 Organization

	Chapter 2: Methodology
		2.1	Overview
		2.2	The Sample Universe and Sampling Method
				The Sample Universe The First-Stage: The Sample of 40 Head Start Programs The Second-Stage: The Sample of Head Start Centers The Third-Stage: The Sample of Head Start Children
		2.3	Response Rates
		2.4	The Instruments
		2.5	Staffing
		2.6	Description of Data Collection Procedures
		2.7	Confidentiality
		2.8	Tests of Procedures and Instruments
				Pilot Test Field Test
		2.9	Data Management and Child Weights
				Weights Data Analysis
		2.10	Strengths and Limitations of the Research
				Strengths Limitations
		2.11	Parent Interview Description

	Chapter 3: Head Start Children
		3.1	Overview
		3.2	Children’s Demographics
		3.3	Children’s Health Status and Reported Disabilities
		3.4	Children’s Behavior and Academic Skills
		3.5	Summary

	Chapter 4: Head Start Families
		4.1	Overview
		4.2	The Primary Caregivers
				Age Nativity Marital Status Education and Training Employment
		4.3	Mothers and Fathers Who Were Not the Interview Respondents
				Education Employment or Other Status Financial Support and Visitation of the Head Start Children
		4.4	The Households
				Monthly Household Income Other Sources of Financial Support Welfare Reform Housing Medical Health Insurance Health Status of Parents and Household Members Health Care for the Head Start Children
				Medical Homes Sources of Routine Health Care Sources of Care for Illness and Injury Help from Head Start in Finding Health Care Effects of Insurance and Employment on Sources of Health Care
				Health Care for the Head Start Parents Dental Care for Children Use of Child Care Language
		4.5	Summary

	Chapter 5: Functioning of Head Start Families
		5.1	Overview
		5.2	Home Safety Practices
		5.3	Social
		5.4	Support
		5.5	Depression
		5.6	Household Rules
		5.7	Discipline Practices
				Family Exposure to Violence and Crime Child Exposure to Violence Effects of Violence on Child and Family Outcomes
		5.8	Involvement with the Crim inal Justice System
		5.9	Household Cigarette, Alcohol, and Drug Use
		5.10	Family Risk Factors
		5.11	Summary

	Chapter 6: Families’ Involvement with Their Children
		6.1	Overview
		6.2	Family and Child Activities
		6.3	Fathers’ Involvement with Their Children
				Descriptive Information on Fathers Non-Household Fathers’ Financial Support of and Visitation with Their Head Start Children Fathers and Activity with Their Children Fathers and Their Effect on Children and Families Fathers and Exposure to Violence
		6.4	Changes Within the Household
		6.5	Summary

	Chapter 7: Families’ Experiences with Head Start
		7.1	Overview
		7.2	The Children’s Involvement with Head Start
		7.3	Parents’ Involvement with Head Start
				Participation Relationships between Involvement with Head Start and Family and Child Factors High, Moderate, and Low Parent Involvement Barriers to Participation
		7.4	Perceptions of Head Start
				Expectations Health Behavior Learned at Head Start Children’s and Parents’ Experiences
		7.5	Parent Satisfaction
		7.6	Parent Reported Ways to Improve Head Start
		7.7	Summary

	Chapter 8: Head Start’s Special Populations
		8.1	Overview of Families of Children with Disabilities
				Definition of Children with Disabilities
			8.1.1	Characteristics of Children with Disabilities
				Ethnicity Gender and Age of Children Geographic Location Child Birthweight
			8.1.2	Characteristics of Families of Children with Disabilities
				Age of Parents Nativity of Parents Marital Status Education and Training Employment Status Household Income Housing Status Sources of Support Insurance Coverage
			8.1.3	Functioning of Families of Children with Disabilities
				Social Support Psychological Well Being Social Service Needs Health Involvement with Their Children Child Behavior Neighborhood Environments
			8.1.4	Relationships with Head Start
				Program Response to Children with Disabilities Involvement at Head Start Barriers to Participation Satisfaction with the Head Start Experience
			8.1.5	Summary of Findings on Families of Children with Disabilities
			8.1.6	Supplemental Table

		8.2	Hispanic Head Start Children and Families
			8.2.1	Characteristics of Hispanic Children in Head Start
				Age and Gender Birthweight and Disabilities
			8.2.2	Characteristics of Hispanic Families in Head Start
				Family Residence Nativity of the Parents Language Marital Status and Household Size Educational Attainment Employment Income and Other Sources of Support Housing
			8.2.3	Family Risk Factors
			8.2.4	Health Care
			8.2.5	Child Care
			8.2.6	Family Activities with Children
			8.2.7	Social Support
			8.2.8	Family Involvement in Head Start
				Participation Barriers to Participation Parent Satisfaction
			8.2.9	Summary

		8.3	Overview of Grandparents as Primary Caregivers
			8.3.1	Characteristics of Grandparents as Primary Caregivers
				Ethnicity Urbanicity and Region Gender and Age of Children Age and Nativity of Grandparents Marital Status Education and Training Employment Status and Household Income Other Sources of Support and Insurance Coverage Housing Household Composition
			8.3.2.	Functioning of Families with Grandparents as Primary Caregivers
				Social Support Psychological Well-Being Involvement with Their Grandchildren Child Behavior Neighborhood Environments
			8.3.3	Relationships with Head Start
				Involvement in Head Start Barriers to Participation Satisfaction with the Head Start Experience
			8.3.4	Three Generational Families
			8.3.5	Summary of Findings on Families Headed by Grandparents
Section III: Head Start Staff

	Chapter 1: Introduction to Head Start Staff
		1.1	Overview
				Research Questions
		1.2	Organization of Section III

	Chapter 2: Methodology
		2.1	Overview of the Head Start Staff Interview Data Collection
		2.2	The Instruments
		2.3	Site Team Staffing
		2.4	Description of Data Collection Procedures

	Chapter 3: Staff Background Characteristics
		3.1	Overview
		3.2	Staff Experience with Head Start and Early Childhood Programs
		3.3	Staff Education
		3.4	Head Start Sponsored Training for Staff
		3.5	Characteristics of Head Start Employment
		3.6	Summary

	Chapter 4: Head Start Services and Activities
		4.1	Introduction
		4.2	Head Start Education Component
				Head Start Educational Curricula Activities in Head Start Classrooms Head Start Benefits to Children
		4.3	Summary
		4.4	Interaction Of Head Start Staff and Parents
				The Head Start Parent Involvement Component Head Start Meetings and Workshops Center Staff Contacts with Parents Use of Parent Volunteers in Head Start Home Visits by Head Start Staff Male Involvement in Head Start Barriers to Parent Involvement in Head Start
		4.5	Summary
		4.6	Head Start Family Services
				The Social Services Component Family Risk Factors Observed by Head Start Staff Referrals and Head Start Services
		4.7	Summary
		4.8	Health Services for Head Start Children and Families
				The Head Start Health Component Child Health Problems in Head Start Head Start Health Services, Parent Volunteers, and Parent Workshops
		4.9	Summary
		4.10	Staff and Program Characteristics Linked to Family Outcomes
				Analytic Approach Results of Hierarchical Regression Analyses
		4.11	Summary
		4.12	Discussions with Head Start Program Directors
				Revised Head Start Performance Measures Welfare Reform
		4.13	Staff Comments on Head Start Program Improvement
		4.14	Summary of Results

Section IV : The Case Study

	Chapter 1: Introduction to the Case Study
		1.1	Overview
		1.2	Organization of Section IV : The Case Study

	Chapter 2: Case Study Methodology
		2.1	The Sample
		2.2	Measures and Data Collection Procedures
				Home Visit Parent Interviews Home and Neighborhood Observations Monthly Telephone Interviews Community Agency Interview Staffing and Data Collection Procedures
		2.3	Data Analyses
				Content Coding and Analyses Descriptive Analyses of Monthly Telephone Interview Data Family Narratives
		2.4	Limitations

	Chapter 3: Results from Home Visit Interviews
		3.1	Overview
		3.2	Reasons for Enrolling Their Children in Head Start
				Reasons for Enrolling Children in Head Start That Related to the Children Reasons for Enrolling Children in Head Start That Related to Parents or Families
		3.3	Head Start Families’ Hopes and Goals for their Children
				Parents’ Hopes and Goals for Their Head Start Children’s General Education Parents’ Hopes and Goals for Their Head Start Children’s Personal Qualities Parents’ Hopes and Goals for Their Children’s Long-Term Educational Attainment Parents’ Other Hopes and Goals for Their Children’s Future
		3.4	Head Start Parents’ Hopes and Goals for Themselves
		3.5	Strengths of the Head Start Families
		3.6	Issues of Improvement and Change for the Head Start Families
		3.7	Current Problems Facing Head Start Families
		3.8	Head Start Child and Family Participation in Head Start
				Children’s Participation in Head Start Head Start Families’ Participation in Head Start Why it Was Important to Participate in Head Start Activities Types of Activities In Which Families’ Participate Barriers and Facilitators to Families’ Participation
		3.9	Satisfaction with Head Start
		3.10	Parenting Beliefs and Efficacy
		3.11	Parenting Satisfaction and Supports
		3.12	Head Start Families’ Perceptions of Their Neighborhoods
				Parents’ Assessments of Their Neighborhoods as Places to Raise Children What Parents Really Liked about Their Neighborhoods What Parents Would Change About Their Neighborhoods Neighborhood Resources Social and Physical Neighborhood Quality Indicators
		3.13	Summary

	Chapter 4: Monthly Telephone Interview
		4.1	Overview
		4.2	Core Questions
				Household Composition Employment Household Income Health Child Care Arrangements Involvement in Head Start
		4.3	Rotated Questions
				Social Support Psychological Well-Being Family Resources Transition to Kindergarten
		4.4	Summary

	Chapter 5: The Family Narratives
		5.1	Overview
		5.2	The Head Start Child
				Children’s Positive Attitudes Toward Learning and Head Start Parents Have Optimistic Expectations for Their Children and Value Education Head Start Children are Making Good Progress Head Start Children May Experience Behavioral and Mental Health Problems Contradictions Between Parent and Teacher Reports
		5.3	Head Start Family
				5.3.1 Head Start Families are Diverse in Type and Experience Multiple Changes
				5.3.2 Search for a Father Figure
				5.3.3 Families Maintain a Balance between School, Work and Child Care
				5.3.4 The Families’ Challenges and Resilience
		5.4	The Family’s Interactions with the Head Start Program Families Valued Their Participation in the Head Start Program
		5.5	Summary
		5.6	The Family Narratives
				Narrative A
				Narrative B
				Narrative C
				Narrative D
				Narrative E
				Narrative F

Section V: Community Agency Substudy

	Chapter 1: Introduction to The Community Agency Substudy
		1.1	Overview
		1.2	Organization of Section V: The Community Agency Substudy

	Chapter 2: Methodology
		2.1	Overview
		2.2	The Sample
		2.3	Data Collection Instrument
		2.4	Procedures

	Chapter 3: Findings and Summary
		3.1	Overview
		3.2	Types of Collaboration
				Informal Collaboration Formal Collaboration Communication Head Start Perspective on Collaboration
		3.3	Procedures for Referral
		3.4	Perceptions of Head Start
		3.5	Strategies for Outreach
		3.6	Summary

Section VI: Conclusions and Implications

	The Changing Face of Poverty in America
		Trends in Racial and Ethnic Diversity Trends in Family Structure Trends in Parental Education and Family Size Trends in Employment

	Head Start Families are Diverse
		Head Start Families are Diverse across Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Head Start Families are Diverse in Family Structure Head Start Families are Diverse in Education and Employment

	Head Start Families are Like Other Families
		Head Start Families Have Common Hopes and Goals Policy Implications

	Head Start Families Face Multiple Challenges Head Start Families Possess Strengths to Address Them
		Head Start Families Have Challenges in the Home Head Start Families Have Economic Challenges Head Start Families Have Environmental Challenges Head Start Families Have Health Challenges and Support Systems Policy Implications

	Head Start Families are Active with Their Children and with Head Start
		Parent Involvement with Children is Crucial Families Benefit from Program Involvement

	Families are Very Satisfied with Head Start
		Policy Implications

	Future Research Directions

Section VII: References

List of Exhibits

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A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families: FACES Technical Report I

Title Page

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

Section I: Introduction to the Study

Section II: Head Start Children and Families

Section IV : The Case Study