Columbia University Head Start and Early Head Start

The Columbia University Head Start and Early Head Start program provides home-based services to a high risk population of young children in northern Manhattan. The Head Start program, based in the largely Latino community of Washingotn Heights, serves 66 children and families. Participating families receive individual weekly home visits by a team of bilingual educators, as well as group center based services. Individual home visits are tailored to the educational and social-emotional needs of the child. Teachers model stategies for working with the child, and encourage responsiveness and sensitivity to the child's needs and developmental stage. Parents are viewed as primary educators of their child, and take an increasingly active role in teaching their child new skills and reinforcing those that have been mastered.

Center based services include a language enriched socialization group for children and adult development workshops for parents. During the weekly classroom sessions, children are introduced to tradional preschool concepts. The group sessions also allow children to practice their developing social skills and gain experience in peer interaction within a fairly structured environment. Simultaneously, parents attend workshops focusing on areas such as child development, nutrition, and health and safety.

Columbia University's Early Head Start program serves 60 children under the age of three and/or pregnant women residing in the neighborhoods of Washington Heights and Hamilton Heights in northern Manhattan. Bilingual services are provided in conjunction with two community based out-patient pediatric clinics of New York Presbyterian Hospital and with the Columbia University Head Start program. Services are designed to support parent-child attachment, child health and development, and adult vocational development. An emphasis is placed on normal developmental milestones and each child's unique temperament and growth.

A main objective of the Columbia University Head Start and Early Head Start program is to support families in achieving economic self-sufficency. Through the assistance of the Mulago Foundation, the Fortalecerse program was established for this purpose. The program helps parents to identify personal goals and strengths, and to select appropriate training. The following are examples of bilingual training modules offered this year: Computer skills, Adkins Life Skills and Job Readiness, Family Daycare training, Child Development Associate training, English as a Second Language, Basic Spanish Literacy, and Introduction to Cosmetology. In addition, a collaboration with the Ackerman Institute for the Family to support parents transitioning to the workforce is currently underway.

Beginning in 1999, children in family childcare homes will also be eligible to receive home based services. This program model was developed in response to the growing number of working parents in the Head Start/Early Head Start community. Within this model, teachers provide ongoing training to family chiildcare providers, both in the home setting and in center based groups. Parents receive family support services, and the children participate in infant/toddler and preschool socialization groups.