LEADS Head Start / Early Head Start
Welcome!
The premise of Head Start is simple: every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to reach their full potential.
Head Start is the most successful, longest-running, national school readiness program in the United States. The program is a child-centered, family focused, comprehensive and community-based. Head Start provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, dental, mental health, social services and parent engagement opportunities to low-income, special needs and at-risk children and their families.
Head Start takes a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of young children. There are four major components to Head Start:
- Education: Providing a variety of learning experiences to help children grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
- Health: Providing health services such as immunizations, dental, medical, and mental health, and nutritional services, and early identification of health problems.
- Parent Involvement: Involving parents in the planning and implementation of activities. Parents serve on policy councils and committees that make administrative decisions; participate in classes and workshops on child development; and volunteer in the program.
- Social Services: Provide outreach to families to determine what services they need.
LEADS Head Start and Early Head Start offer a variety of program options in Delaware, Licking and Union Counties:
- Center Based preschool services are available children ages 3 – 5 in a classroom setting. Children receive nutritious meals during class times. Days and times vary per site.
- Home-Based services are available for pregnant women, infants, toddlers and preschoolers. A Home Visitor comes to the home once a week and works with the parent as the child's primary teacher. Children and families who receive Home-Based services also have the opportunity to meet twice monthly with other enrolled families for a group learning experience that's facilitated by Head Start and Early Head Start staff.
Contact us to determine which program option and location will best meet your family's needs.
"I don't believe my kids would be where they are developmentally and socially without the LEADS program. I am so thankful for all the home visitors and family service workers. They feel like family!"
– S.N.- Parent of Early Head Start Child
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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
