Did you know that the most rapid brain development occurs between birth and age 5? The Administration for Children and Families says that it is “in these formative years [that] children are laying the cognitive and behavioral foundation for the rest of their development and learning.”
Head Start and Early Head Start programs are among the largest early childhood education (ECE) programs nationwide, including here in Northern Virginia.
Federally funded and free for families who meet income eligibility requirements, these programs are operated by numerous providers across the country. And they work.
Ninety-four percent of Head Start students demonstrate readiness for kindergarten.
All children are entitled to tools that will help them learn and grow as much as possible, and every parent and caregiver deserves the necessary support and resources to provide their children with those tools.
When we educate parents and caregivers on the social and cognitive development that occurs during the first years of life, and when young children learn early reading and math skills that can bring them more success in school, we build stronger foundations across Northern Virginia.
All Early Head Start and Head Start programs focus on learning through play and creativity – both indoors and outdoors – and activities take into account different families’ unique cultures and languages.
In 2023, Head Start was funded to serve 778,420 children, pregnant women, and pregnant people in centers, family homes, and family child care homes across the country. Close to 14,000 children were enrolled in Early Head Start and Head Start programs in Virginia last year, with about 200 of those children residing in Loudoun County.
And while the importance of high-quality ECE alone cannot be underscored, Head Start provides children with other benefits. For example, 96% of children in NVFS’ Head Start program reached developmental milestones in 2023. Nearly 90% of the nation’s Early Head Start and Head Start attendees have access to health and dental care.
Additionally, Head Start programs promote physical activity, provide healthy and nutritious meals, ensure children receive important medical screenings, and even extend to the families of enrolled children.
Parents and caregivers of Head Start participants can learn about parenting strategies, get assistance during pregnancy, and gain access to resources for reaching their financial, housing, employment, and educational goals.
NVFS has been honored to serve Loudoun County children through Early Head Start, in either a home- or center-based setting, for close to 14 years. And because there is a greater need, especially post-pandemic, for more affordable, accessible, and quality child care options in Loudoun County, we are excited to be preparing a new Early Head Start facility in Ashburn that will serve more than 70 children and their families.
Please take a few moments to learn about these impactful programs that help shape brighter futures for children, families, and our communities.