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Part 1 Organizing a Quality Child Care Program
Head Start
The Head Start program is sponsored by the federal government. It is specifically
designed to provide a preschool experience for children from low-income families. It
is usually a half-day program that includes breakfast and a hot lunch, medical and
dental services, parent involvement, and an educational component designed to help
prepare children for school. Home visits and parent participation in the center are a
part of most programs. Children with special needs can also be enrolled in Head
Start regardless of family income. Some programs operate on a full-day basis. Early
Head Start for children from birth to age three and Wrap-Around care for children
needing full-day care because they have working parents are also offered by some
programs.
The Head Start program has been successful in helping children from low-income
families begin school with a greater chance for success. Unfortunately, the program is
still not available to all children who are eligible for it. Proposed funding increases
from the federal government and the addition of some state monies would help to
provide some expansion of programs.
Sick Child Care
Most parents find their child care arrange-
ments break down when their children are sick.
Their usual center cannot handle children with
illness. This has led to the growth of centers for
sick children, 2-14. Some of these are housed in
hospitals and staffed by nurses. Others are not.
In general, they do not provide care for seri-
ously ill children. Some resemble a hospital set-
ting while others have made an effort to look
like a nursery school. Overall, they play a role
in helping parents who cannot be absent from
work.
Sick child care centers usually charge a very
high fee. Employers who cannot afford to have
their employees miss work are sometimes
willing to share the cost of the care. While there
are not a lot of sick child care centers, they can
usually be found in urban areas.
Information and Referral Services
Sometimes parents have trouble finding a
program that meets their needs. At the same
time, there may be providers who have avail-
able spaces that would be appropriate.
Information and referral services do not operate
2-14 When a child is too sick to go to a regular
center, parents may have to miss work so they
can provide the care the child needs.