Early Head Start in Schenectady and Bright Beginnings in Albany serve pregnant mothers and parents
with toddlers. Early Head Start has both a home-based and center-based program. Bright Beginnings is a
home visiting program. Parents learn skills that enable them to provide a safe and healthy environment
for their children. Parents are also assisted in securing medical services for their children, along with
educational and employment opportunities for themselves.
By enrolling families early in their children's lives, we hope to improve child development and health
outcomes through education, health, and family advocacy services.
Families in the early intervention programs benefit through direct services provided by staff, as well as
through partnerships with other area service providers. In addition to the educational activities, we
provide the following services:
- Child development screenings
- Parenting training
- Nutrition counseling
- Literacy programs
- Dental screening
- Child care referrals
- Career preparation and application services
- Volunteerism in community organizations
- Assisting parents to take on community leadership roles
The Early Head Start center-based option is both an Early Head Start center program and a
county subsidized daycare.
There are four classrooms; one for children six weeks to walking, one for children
walking to 18 months, and two serving children 18 months to three years. Each classroom
accommodates eight children and is staffed with a caregiver (head teacher) and one or two
assistant caregivers, depending on the age of the children in that room.
Like the home visiting option, there is a licensed practical nurse, family support worker, developmental specialist, nutritional consultant, center director, and clinical social worker available to each family. Both program options of Parsons' Early Head Start provide early, continuous child development and health education; encourage parental involvement in program governance; and support the family through connections to community services.
Parsons' Early Head Start serves families who live in the city of Schenectady, are pregnant or have a child below the age of three, and have an income at or below the federal poverty level.
Related Links:
Healthy Schenectady Families:
govt.co.schenectady.ny.us/publichealth/healthyschenectady/htm
Head Start Bureau:www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/
National Head Start Association: www.nhsa.org/
New York State Head Start Association: www.nysheadstart.org/
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