Community Actiion For Improvement, Inc.

Community Action For Improvement, Inc.

Head Start Program

Program Description

CAFI Head Start provides a comprehensive program serving 3 to 5 year old children from limited income families. The program focuses on the education, social, emotional, and physical needs of the children and their families. Ten percent of the enrollment is reserved for children with special needs. Medical and dental examinations, as well as follow-up treatments are provided. Many educational and pending training's are offered for parents which encourages strong parent involvement and participation

Program Features

Education	Head Start's educational program is designed to meet each child's individual needs. It also aims to meet the needs of the community served and its ethnic and cultural characteristics
Mental Health/Disabilities	Head Start focuses on promoting positive self-worth, respect for individual differences and the ability to develop appropriate social skills. Head Start must make available ten percent of its enrollment to children with disabilities. Children with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education.
Health	Children will receive free medical and dental care, vision and hearing tests and any needed immunizations.
Nutrition	Children receive healthy meals and snacks. Parents also learn how to select healthy foods and prepare well-balanced meals for their entire family.
Transportation	Head Start plans and coordinates a safe system for transporting children on the journey to and from centers, including field trips and medical and dental screenings. Also, Head Start makes buses or vans available for parent transportation and social services needs.
Parent Involvement	A very important part of every Head Start program is the involvement of parents in parent education, program planning and operation activities. Many serve as members of their local program's Policy Councils and Committees and have a voice in administrative and managerial decisions. Parents also serve in Head Start on a volunteer basis or as aides to teachers, social service personnel, and other staff members; and as storytellers and supervisors of play activities.
Social Services	Social Service staff help families meet their needs through community outreach; referrals; family need assessments; providing information about available community resources and how to use them; and emergency assistance and/ or crisis intervention. Also, recruitment and enrollment of children is a function of the Social Service staff.