HEAD START
Head Start's comprehensive child development program aims to foster social skills and school readiness in children (three to five years old) from low-income families.
Promoting Positive Health
Children learn best when they are healthy. Head Start and family partnership work together to identify and address children’s health concerns early to improve their developmental outcomes and to ensure that each child has continuous, accessible health care (including dental and mental health).
Improving Nutrition
Children learn best when they are well fed and eat healthy foods. Head Start serves a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack daily. Head Start provides nutrition education and services to children and their families.
Partnering with Families
Parents have the most significant impact on the growth and development of their child. Therefore Head Start establishes relationships of respect and mutual trust with families. Head Start supports parents and families by: providing them with many opportunities to be involved in program activities; advocating for them; and linking them with community service agencies which support their needs and goals.
Eligibility Requirements
-Families must be a resident of the City of Oakland.
-Families must be income eligible.
-Children are between the ages of three to five (for Head Start)
Service Highlights
-Full and half day program options are available.
-Head Start welcomes children with disabilities.
-Head Start welcomes children from all cultures, nationalities and who speak all languages.
EARLY HEAD START
The City of Oakland operates two center-based Early Head Start programs and offers an extensive home-based program option. The City also partners with the Unity Council to provide early, individualized child development and parent education services to low-income infants and toddlers and their families.
Early Head Start serves children from birth to three years old and pregnant women. Parents and staff work together to develop the plan for each child.
The program provides early opportunities for children with and without disabilities to grow and develop together in nurturing, multicultural and multilingual settings.
The program connects with other service providers within the City of Oakland to offer a comprehensive array of health, nutrition, career development and other services. In coordination with local Head Start and other child development programs, Early Head Start works to ensure continuity of services.
Locations: See attached link
Home-Based Program Options
They provide home visits year round for pregnant mothers and children between the ages of 0-3. Home visits are conducted by an Early Childhood Instructor for 90-minutes once a week. The home-based program also sponsors developmental playgroups, meeting twice monthly. The playgroups support children's cognitive, social, emotional and physical growth. The playgroups support parents in their role as their child's first teacher. They help prepare children for center-based care in the Head Start pre-school transition. For more information, please call (510) 238-7479.
Application Form | Laney Waitlist Application - Fillable.pdf | 11-13-2020 |
Application Form | Head Start Cover Page Form 21-22.pdf | 11-16-2022 |
Application Form | Head-Start-Enrollment-Application-English-2021.pdf | 11-16-2022 |
Application Form | Oakland-Head-Start-2020-Application-Cover-Page_Spanish.pdf | 11-16-2022 |
Application Form | Fillable-Oakland-Head-Start-Enrollment-Application-2020-Form-ERSEA-Spanish.pdf | 11-16-2022 |
Misc Attachment | HeadStartApplyNowFlyerEnglish.pdf | 11-16-2022 |
Misc Attachment | HeadStartApplyNowFlyerSPANISH.pdf | 11-16-2022 |