Head Start

We do Pre-K (through head start) and we've found it to be PERFECT for my then 4-now 5 yr old. She is excelling so quickly! She learns SO much every day. She is the only kid in Pre-K that knows sight words and can read some. Her teacher hasn't ever had any of the "issues" we have at home and for that I am grateful! We've loved it so far. We drop her and her sister off to school (they go to the same building) and then the bus drives her to daycare afterward. It depends on teachers. You will probably need an IEP for him to get services while at school... and it may not be called an IEP for Headstart, but it is the same "special education" premise.

Thanks - our kids have never been to daycare. So this is going to be my first experience sending him out somewhere. I'm excited for him, but hesitant of course. I considered paying for another preschool that is just half days, but this Head Start seems like it might be good for him.We already received the special education qualification stuff he needs because he's transferring out of ECI when he turns three (he currently gets speech therapy at home). So they helped us handle that for the transition. I'm glad it's been a success for you, so far.

Yes... Layla was actually kicked out of daycares when she was 2... then in her last placement she didn't go to daycare, so we were VERY concerned of how things would hash out... but we've been amazed at her progress. She is an angel at school... (wish she was at home some days too) and we've never once had a bad report on her. MK on the other hand keeps us on our toes! :) (and she was supposed to be the "easy" one)

So you guys did have a transition to the special ed preschool team that does a full evaluation? I'm not sure if they do that over there, but here they do (I used to be a part of the preschool assessment team...I think I will also get that postition back next year) Here EI runs under an IFSP and then after 3 years of age it changes to an IEP (if a child still meets eligibility), but a full team assessment is done so eligibility is not automatic. I love working with headstart and prefer to work with the kids.....of course services and speech will also depend on who is assigned to that school as well :confused: :o so just be on top of things and it should be fine.

Here, it's a little different. I had two options. Go directly to a Head Start school (not at our elementary school - it's an independent place just for Head Start kids) or go through the school district. If I went directly to Head Start, then he didn't have to be re-evaluated -- they would take ECI's evaluation/recommendations for any therapy. If I went through the school district, then they'd have to do an IEP and their own full assessment to see if he qualified for ST. Well currently, our elementary school only offers Pre-K for 4 year olds (nothing for 3 year olds). So I went directly to the Head Start school instead. Therefore, he didn't need an evaluation -- he was automatically accepted. As far as the specific speech therapist, we are actually allowed to use the therapist that is contracted with the school or we are allowed to pick our therapist from an outside source. We have a speech therapist (not through ECI but another service) that has been working with our other FS at home. So, we are going to ask her if she will be available to do this son's ST at the Head Start school beginning in August.

I think its great that your FS will be able to participate in a full day program. If they are anything like the Head Start program we have here you will receive lots of support and access to all kinds of fantastic resources. I would think that working with Speech, OT and other professionals involved with a child would be part of the program. In our area, those types of professionals often work with children in preschool settings. Here our Head Start program is home-based, meaning that they visit your home weekly and provide support and enriching activities for parents to do with their children at home. They also arrange for a variety of community activities for children enrolled in the program to participate in, such as visits to the fire station or police station, nature walks, horseback riding, ice skating and swimming lessons, all for low or no fees. Our program also offered free screenings annually such as hearing, vision, developmental, dental etc. It was great to be able to take advantage of that when my then FS was 3 and 4. I was able to use lots of the information as part of my required medical and developmental updates for DCF.

In my town, the Headstart program also runs the whole day but in my neighboring town, they run from 9-1pm. I think most of the one that are the full day, the afternoons consists of nap/quite time, snack and outside playtime and then it is time to go home so it is not like the kids have to sit at a table the whole day long expected to sit still. They do allow PT, OT and speech therapist to come in and work with the kids if needed. They do also do vision, hearing and other developemental tests thru out the year. I do know that most of the Headstart around here are only Monday-Thursday, no Fridays. The teachers do paperwork and stuff on Fridays so that would also be an option to get the services that you need to get done too.

Our ECI/special ed uses HeadStart to send children that qualify for "community services". Meaning they don't need to be in a special classroom but do require services. My children would attend in the mornings ECI and then afternoons at Headstart as they needed more services. In our HeadStart they actually have a Para that helps with all the special needs children. It has really become just an extention of special ed.Now this could be good and bad. For us it was bad because the boys were picking up more behaviors. With RAD they manipulated everyone, escpecially paras, so we decided to pull them out of HeadStart and Special Ed. We sought out outside services and had a much more positive experiences.Now with our bio's that managed to get into the program it was run more like a traditional preschool and we had GREAT success. 10 years ago the program was run very differently.I would give it a whirl and if it is too much then you will just have to make adjustments. Best of luck.

Thanks for everyone's input. It's interesting how it works differently everywhere, especially since it's a federal program.If the full day ends up too much for him, I can always put him in a half day preschool (or none at all) and get his speech therapy at home. But I think we are going to give it a go -- he might like it. Now my goal is to get him potty trained by the time he starts the program in August.

If it were me and I didn't have to send him (due to work of my own or something), I would not put him in full day head start. If he were a foster child, I would, because then when he goes home, he can still be in the program without having to be on a wait list or something. In my area, there is about a year wait. But for a child, I was adopting, I would rather keep him home to work on the attachment and maybe do a half day 2x a week preschool. Here the head start programs really are limited with the amount of kids they can have and I'd feel bad taking a spot from a kid who is in a much worse situation at home and could use the extra help. As for the program, though, I've only heard good things about it. They have a lot of extras and special things that the whole families can benefit from, like free entertainment where the families might not be able to participate in otherwise.

I think you have gotten a lot of great advice, but wanted to add that Head Start really encourages parents to volunteer in the classroom...so, if you want to continue to spend lots of time with him, that might be a good way to do it.

In Washington state there is an awesome therapeutic daycare called Childhaven, which we felt offered way more services than headstart for our kids. They only provide services for abused & neglected children, so they have a high staffing ratio and a ton of services. My kids received both speech & occupational therapy right there. They were picked up & dropped off every day at our home. They would even provide a room and supervision for visits w/bio. Dad and for my son's therapist to have sessions with him. They provided our entire family with Christmas gifts every year. They were amazing!

My husband and I both work from home, so he definitely doesn't NEED to go. However, we think it would be beneficial for him to go to preschool for at least a couple days a week. He needs a little school-like structure, and some experience around children his age and older. In our house, he's the oldest by 13 months -- which can be a lot when you are not even three years old. (The other four kids are within three and a half months of each other total.) I thought about what you are saying too (about taking a spot from someone who might need it more). However, I found out that the Head Start in our part of town doesn't have a waiting list -- it does in other areas of the city -- just not our neighborhood. We are pre-enrolled for August, but I'm not still not 100% I want him gone for 8 hours a day, five days a week. Something to think about.

I'm wondering if the program requires the child to attend for the entire 8 hours or if there is a minimum amount of time that a child has to attend to stay eligible for the program? Some programs are flexible about letting families use whatever part of the day works for them, within limits. For example, maybe children are required to participate during the morning hours when group activities and specific learning centers are presented, but a program might be flexible about having children leave before naptime in the afternoon, if that's what a family chooses. It might be worth asking if you haven't already.