Services to Children and Families

KIDCO provides Comprehensive Services through the following components:

Education

The Head Start/Early Head Start program follows the Federal Performance Standards. Each area is further defined in order to ensure the programs’ success. The Education component provides direct services to children. The Early Head Start program utilizes the Creative Curriculum model providing the very young learner experiences to support their total development.

The Head Start program uses the High/Scope model offering age appropriate challenging experiences supported by the ‘active learning’ principle supporting children’s interests and choices in a prepared environment.

Social Services

At the heart of what the Head Start/Early Head Start program stands for is the area of Social Services. We start with the family as the center of our services following the Federal Performance Standards. We begin with the Recruitment; the Eligibility/Selection and Enrollment of children. Then the Social Services unfold to provide families with an Orientation process and services that connect them with the community and address their needs and aspirations.

Health

The Head Start/Early Head start program has a commitment to the health and safety of children, families and staff who work with our young children. These efforts are part of the comprehensive services provided to families supporting the physical and emotional development of very young children. The health services are part of the day to day operations, the curriculum practices and the messages shared with parents and families. This model encourages adults to practice and promote positive, culturally relevant, healthy behaviors and safety practices.

Mental Health

Head Start and Early Head Start programs support the mental health of children, families, and staff every day. Early childhood mental health is the same as social and emotional well-being. It is a child’s developing capacity to express and regulate emotions, form trusting relationships, explore, and learn—all in the cultural context of family and community. The mental health of children and the adults that care for them is essential for school readiness.

Nutrition

Childhood nutrition and well-ness have become part of our national agenda as a primary concern as an informed society. The Head Start/Early Head Start program’s primary objective under nutrition is to promote child wellness by providing nutrition services that supplement and complement those of the home and community. These services include identifying each child’s nutritional needs

Parent Committees

KIDCO has adopted the center level option to establish the Parent Committee. The Policy Committee is established through the Parent Committees. Parents or legal guardians of children enrolled and community representatives are empowered to actively participate in shared decision making. Each KIDCO site has a Parent Committee and they carry out the following responsibilities:

advising staff with policies, services and activities meeting the needs of the children
and participate in the recruitment and screening of Early Head Start and Head Start employees

Curriculum Activities

KIDCO’s education component is enriched with curriculum activities that promote the total development of children; particularly their language, critical thinking, creativity, social, physical and motor skills. These activities engage all children including those with special needs.