Childcare

Service Programs for Child Care for Head Start Parents (LBR 903-05)

The federal government provides funding for Head Start child care programs in Hawaii, although not all of these programs are able to sufficiently provide full-day child care services through federal funding alone.  Currently, the number of available full-day programs does not meet the need of many Head Start parents for full-day child care that would allow these parents to work full-time or actively seek employment, training, or education opportunities.  Under current federal and state welfare initiatives, the number of low-income parents in Hawaii who will require full-day child care to work, seek employment, training or education will increase.

Head Start is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Administration for Children and Families.  The Head Start program awards 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 children develop their early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school.  Intended primarily for preschoolers from low-income families, Head Start promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, and social services to enrolled children and families.  Head Start programs engage parents in their children's learning and help them in making progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals.  The Head Start Program also emphasizes the significant involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs.

Head Start encompasses children from the age of three to the age when children enter kindergarten.  Programs serve those families who have incomes below the federal poverty level or are eligible for public assistance.

OCS provides funding services for child care through grants and purchase of service awards to community-based agencies statewide.