As a parent or guardian, you are the most important partner in your child’s education. An Early Head Start home visitor can support you through weekly visits focused on your child’s development and your family’s goals. Early Head Start is available to low-income families from pregnancy until your child turns 3 and goes to Head Start or another pre-K program.
Early Head Start
Why Choose Early Head Start
Opportunities to join group activities twice a month through Parents and Children Together (PACTS)
Families gain access to other LifeWorks programs and community resources
Prenatal support and follow-up for pregnant women
Parents and guardians receive support and access to adult education workshops
Parents and guardians make program decisions through the Head Start Policy Council
Parents and guardians have volunteer and employment opportunities through Head Start—in fact, 40% of our staff are former Head Start students or parents
What Do Early Head Start Kids Grow Up to Be?
When a child is ready to start pre-K, they have a better chance of succeeding all the way through school. That means a better chance of graduating high school and a better chance of going to college or trade school. Early Head Start kids grow up to be anything they want to be!
Learning and Development
Early Head Start helps kids build:
Social skills
Healthy emotions
A relationship with their family’s culture and language
A smooth transition to Head Start or another pre-K program
Health
Through Early Head Start, kids receive:
Help coping with the effects of trauma, as needed
Mental health support, as needed
Skills for stronger parent-child relationships
Family Well-Being
Early Head Start gives parents and families help with programs for:
Housing stability
Continued education
Financial security
Does My Child Qualify for Early Head Start?
Are you a pregnant woman or do you have an infant, toddler or preschooler? Is your total income less than the federal poverty level or do you receive Food Stamps? If you answered yes to both questions, your child qualifies for Early Head Start. So do:
All children in foster care
All homeless children
All children whose families get SNAP, TANF or SSI assistance
LifeWorks Serves Saratoga County
You must live in a school district we serve:
Ballston Spa
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Corinth
Mechanicville
Saratoga Springs
Shenendehowa
Schuylerville
South Glens Falls
Waterford-Halfmoon
What If We Don’t Qualify?
Brightside Up offers other options for early childhood education in the Capital Region.
Apply
Get started by filling out an initial application online.
A family advocate will be in touch soon to schedule an appointment to finish the application process. At that appointment, you will need to provide:
Proof of age (child’s birth certificate or other official document verifying the child’s birth date)
Proof of income (pay stubs, DHS budget sheet, Form 1040 tax return, 6 months of unemployment with W-2 or SSI statements)
Once enrolled, you will need to provide:
Child’s up-to-date immunization records
Physical exam (including lead and hematocrit) and dental exam records
Other requested supporting documents
