Early Education FAQ's
Q. Does a Child in Early Head Start Automatically Qualify for Head Start?

A. The family income must be verified by the Head Start program before determining that a child is
eligible to participate in the program

Q. How much will it cost to send my child to Head Start?

A.  Head Start and Early Head Start services are provided for free.

Q. Who is eligible for Head Start?

A.  In general, eligibility is based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines

Q. How old must my child be to enroll in Head Start?

A.  Head Start accepts eligible 3 and 4 year old children until they can enter Kindergarten.
Early Head Start accepts eligible infants and toddlers and pregnant women.

Q. What is Child Development?

A.  A child’s growth is more than just physical. Children grow, develop, and learn throughout their
lives, starting at birth. A child’s development can be followed by how they play, learn, speak, and
behave.

Q. What is a developmental delay? Will my child just grow out of it?

A.  Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called
developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving,
and moving (crawling, walking, etc.). A developmental delay is when your child does not reach
these milestones at the same time as other children the same age. If your child is not developing
properly, there are things you can do that may help. Most of the time, a developmental problem is
not something your child will “grow out of” on his or her own. But with help, your child could reach
his or her full potential!

Q. How does exercise benefit my child and my family?

A.  Healthy Weight
Physical activity is necessary to help your child keep or get to a healthy weight. Children
today are less active than they were just a few years ago because of the amount of time
spent watching TV, on computers, and taking part less in daily PE classes in school.

Strong Bones 
Exercise can strengthen your child’s bones. Building strong bones in childhood helps to keep
bone health later in life.

 

Develop Lifelong Habits 
Children who enjoy exercise may develop a lifelong, healthy habit of being physically active.
If they stay active as adults, they will enjoy better health and may live longer than their less
Active peers. Exercise can decrease the risk of obesity, cancer, diabetes, high blood
pressure, stroke, and heart disease in adults.

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