Child Development

Head Start | Early Head Start | Pre-K Counts

Head Start

Head Start is an educational child and family development program promoting the well-being of children and families.  Head Start addresses the educational, nutritional, health, social service, and disability needs of preschool age children and their families.

Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by assuring that low-income children have access to comprehensive educational, health, and nutritional programs.  Head Start encourages parental involvement.

Head Start offers:

• Preschool classrooms
• Personalized home visits provided by certified staff person trained in child development and family service
• Group meetings with other families where you can share parenting experiences, gain new insights, and provide information on topics of interest. *
• Information and guidance on child development, effective discipline, constructive play, safety, health and nutrition
• Vision, hearing, speech and development screenings
• Support services provided for children with special needs and disabilities, including an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• A referral network to connect families to resources in the community
• Socialization and developmentally appropriate activities in a supervised and nurturing environment
• Safe and reliable transportation – available in most areas
• 9 month programs

*Child care is available during parent meetings.

Head Start Eligibility

Families must:

• Be residents of Westmoreland County
• Have a child between 3-5 years old
• Meet income guidelines

You may qualify if you make less than the 100% column for your family size on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Download the guidelines and compare your income to the 100% column.

Head Start Resources

• Resource Directory - This 72 page Community Resource Directory lists many useful organizations and contact information.  Originally compiled by people in the Head Start program, it is a guide frequently used by families in Head Start - though it contains information useful to many families.
  
• Parent Handbook - Parent Handbook for Head Start Parents.

Locations of classrooms:

Contact us for more information on Westmoreland Community Action's Head Start programs.

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Early Head Start

Early Head Start offers many services to help pregnant women and families with children under age of three meet the medical, physical, emotional and developmental needs of their infant or toddler.

Early Head Start offers:

• Parenting education and support
• Child development assessment
• Developmentally appropriate activities
• Family activities
• Weekly home-based services
• Socialization experiences for both parent and child
• Referrals to community resources

Early Head Start Eligibility

Families must:

• Be residents of Westmoreland County
• Must be expecting a baby OR have a childe under age 3
• Meet income eligibility requirements OR have a child with special needs

You may qualify if you make less than the 100% column for your family size on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Download the guidelines and compare your income to the 100% column.

Locations

Early Head Start services are provided in the family's home and at various locations in Westmoreland County.

Contact us for more information on Westmoreland Community Action's Early Head Start programs. 

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About Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start are supported by private and corporate donations, volunteers, and grants from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Westmoreland County, and special funds allocated by Pennsylvania Legislators through the PA Department of Education grant and from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Head Start was started in 1964 as part of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty to help meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. Head Start has helped over 22 million pre-school children across the US.  Early Head Start was created in 1995 when studies showed that the earliest years matter a great deal to a child's growth and development.

All meals served to children under the Child Care Food Program are served at no separate charge regardless of race, color, sex, age, disabilities or national origin.  There is no discrimination in admissions policy, meal service or the use of the facilities.

Contact us for more information on Westmoreland Community Action's Head Start programs. 

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We Provide Services to Residents of Westmoreland County

At Westmoreland Community Action, we provide services to residents in towns and townships throughout Westmoreland County, PA including: Adamsburg, Alverton, Arnold,
Bolivar, Claridge, Crabtree, Delmont, Derry, Donegal, East Vandergrift, Export, Greensburg, Harrison City, Herminie, Irwin, Jeannette, Kecksburg, Latrobe, Ligonier, 
Lower Burrell, Mammoth, Manor, Monessen, Mount Pleasant, Murrysville, New Alexandria, New Florence, New Kensington, New Stanton, North Belle Vernon, Norvelt, Scottdale,
Smithton, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, Stahlstown, Trafford, Vandergrift, 
West Newton, Youngstown, and Youngwood.

Townships in Westmoreland County include:

Allegheny Township, Bell Township, Cook Township, Derry Township, Donegal Township,
East Huntingdon Township, Fairfield Township, Hempfield Township, Ligonier Township,
Lower Burrell Township, Loyalhanna Township, Mount Pleasant Township, Murrysville Township, North Huntingdon Township, Penn Township, Rostraver Township, Saint Clair Township, Salem Township, Sewickley Township, South Huntingdon Township, Upper Burrell Township, Unity Township, and Washington Township

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