Table of Contents | Previous | Next |
A Descriptive Study of Head Start Families: FACES Technical Report I
This report may contain external links. ACF cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by external links. Providing links to a non-ACF Website does not constitute an endorsement by ACF or any of its employees of the sponsors of the site or the information or products presented on the site. Also, be aware that the privacy protection provided on the ACF domain (see ACF's Privacy Policy) may not be available at the external link.
Title Page
Acknowledgments
Executive Summary
Section I: Introduction to the Study |
||||||||
1.0 Introduction to the Study | ||||||||
Purposes of the Study
|
||||||||
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 |
||||||||
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 |
||||||||
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 | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.1.2 | Characteristics of Families of Children with Disabilities | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.1.3 | Functioning of Families of Children with Disabilities | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.1.4 | Relationships with Head Start | |||||||
|
||||||||
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 | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.2.2 | Characteristics of Hispanic Families in Head Start | |||||||
|
||||||||
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 | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.2.9 | Summary | |||||||
8.3 | Overview of Grandparents as Primary Caregivers | |||||||
8.3.1 | Characteristics of Grandparents as Primary Caregivers | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.3.2. | Functioning of Families with Grandparents as Primary Caregivers | |||||||
|
||||||||
8.3.3 | Relationships with Head Start | |||||||
|
||||||||
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 |
Table of Contents | Previous | Next |