Policy

Review requirements that ensure children are kept safe at all times. This standard addresses safety practices for facilities, equipment and materials, disaster preparedness, hygiene, lead exposure, and more.

Head Start programs must integrate parent and family engagement strategies into all systems and program services to support family well-being and promote children’s learning and development.

This standard requires programs to promote shared responsibility with parents for children’s early learning and development and offer opportunities to participate in a research-based parenting curriculum.

Review the requirements for developing a family partnerships process that identifies family strengths and needs and features an approach that individualizes services.

Review the standards for developing community partnerships and coordinating with other early childhood programs through memoranda of understanding, quality rating and improvement systems, and data.

Programs must ensure enrolled children with disabilities and their families receive all services delivered in the least restrictive possible environment and that they fully participate in all program activities.

Review standards for providing services to children during Individuals with Disabilities Education Act eligibility determination and through an Individualized Education Program or Individualized Family Service Plan.

Head Start programs must provide information and skill-building opportunities to help parents understand their child’s disability and become advocates to best support their child’s development.

Review the requirements for developing interagency agreements with the local agency responsible for implementing Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to improve service delivery to children with disabilities.