Headstart

1. Program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. 

2. The program's services and resources are designed to foster stable family relationships, enhance children’s physical and emotional well-being, and establish an environment to develop strong cognitive skills.

3. Launched in 1965 by its creator and first director Jule Sugarman

4. Originally conceived as a catch-up summer school program that would teach low-income children in a few weeks what they needed to know to start kindergarten. 

5. The program was further revised when it was reauthorized in December, 2007. 

6. "Head Start promotes school preparation by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services." 

7. Head start program provided services of : 

• Early Head Start Program promotes healthy prenatal outcomes, healthy families and infant and toddler development beginning as young as newborns.
• Head Start helps to create healthy development in low-income children ages three to five. Offers services that depend on each child and family's culture and experience, to influence all aspects of a child's development and learning.
• Family and Community Partnerships Head Start offers parents opportunities and support as they identify and meet their own goals, nurture their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that support children and families of all cultures.
• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start provides Head Start services to children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. Services target children from six-months to five-years of age. Because of the families' work constraints, service hours are longer and programs extend for fewer months than traditional Head Start.
• Head Start targets Indigenous peoples of the Americas Native children and families.