Lorain County Community Action Agency

Head Start

Nurturing Learning Environment

Head Start, the best known and most successful national poverty program, was originally implemented in 1966 to help break the cycle of poverty and promote school readiness. The Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school.

Our objective is to provide all children with a safe, nurturing, engaging, enjoyable, and secure learning environment, in order to help them gain the awareness, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in their present environment, and to deal with later responsibilities in school and in life.

Our Programs Include:

• Preschool for children 3-5 years old
• The Early Head Start Program for families with children 0-3 years old
• The Homebase Program brings teachers into the home to instruct the parents on different techniques of teaching their children
• Each family is assigned a Family Advocate who monitors the child's health needs, attendance, and provides family support
• Intensive Case Management Referrals are available to all families
• Special Needs program referrals are available for preschoolers suspected to have developmental delays
• Head Start works in collaboration with local school districts, preschools, and childcare program to enhance their already established program

Touching Lives

In 2009, 1,178 children and families were served in the Head Start Preschool Program, and more than 40 pregnant women and/or infants and toddlers were served in the Early Head Start Program. 

Volunteers contributed 14,667 hours to the programs in 2007. Volunteers included 1,497 community members and 1,247 children and families were connected to a medical and dental home, while 1,166 had up-to-date immunizations through Head Start.

Each year, approximately 600 children transition into public school kindergartens in the 15 local school districts. Parenting education and marriage education services were provided to 419 individuals or family units, and 319 men participated in the Father Involvement Program.

Family and Community Partnerships

Head Start offers parents opportunities and support for growth, so that they can identify their own strengths, needs and interests, and find their own parenting solutions. Our objective is to support parents as they identify and meet their own goals and nurture the development of their children in the context of their family and culture.

Each child is treated as an individual in an inclusive community that values, respects, and responds to diversity. The varied experiences provided by the program support the continuum of children's growth and development, which includes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child.

LCCAA is committed to connecting with community resources to ensure that the children and families receive the needed services for individual and family success. Please contact Stefanie Drew at 204-3162 if you are interested in presenting at one of our monthly parent meetings or regular staff meetings.

Head Start and Early Head Start PY2009 Self-Assessment

The purpose of this self-assessment is to relay the effectiveness and progress in meeting program goals and objectives and in implementing Federal regulations.

HeadStartPY2009Self-Assessment2009.pdf