Early Head Start serves more than 150 pregnant women, infants and toddlers.
Services are based at Darden and Edelman Centers. ACHR’s EHS program is a unique combination of center-based and home-based models.
The Center Based Program serves infants and toddlers in a multi-age grouping with one teacher and four children and is available to mothers who are working or in school.
The Home Based Program is available to mothers who are at home with their children or who have alternate care arrangements for their babies and toddlers. In addition to visiting participants in their homes, Home Visitors sometimes work with pregnant teens and new teen mothers in the schools in Lee and Russell Counties.
Early Head Start has an income guideline. Ten percent of the children can be over the income limit, so we are able to accept children who have diagnosed special needs who otherwise might not be eligible. Children are accepted to the program based on a priority points system, following Federal rules.
Key Benefits
- Multi-age model used in the center classrooms allows children from one family to stay together and children of different ages to learn from one another; in addition, the model eliminates the need to wait for a slot to open in a particular age group.
- HighScope Curriculum used as foundation, along with other curricula including The Program for Infants and Toddlers and Healthy Babies.
- Wraparound care offered in each center through vouchers or on sliding fee scale to parents who need childcare before 8:00 a.m. and/or after 1:30 p.m. and during the summer.
- Visits provided weekly in the home with non-working mothers of infants and toddlers, and for those who have childcare. These participants and their children are invited to the center every other week for “socialization” activities; transportation provided if needed. Visits for participants who are pregnant are less frequent.
- Linkage to additional services such as health care and services for children who have special needs.
- Opportunity for parents to serve on parent or policy-making committees and to gain experience in advocacy.
To apply, pick up an application at any our centers at any time or call the main office and ask to speak to Family Engagement staff.
Return completed application along with copy of birth certificate and proof of income to the attention of Family Engagement staff.