About Our Head Start and Early Head Start Agencies

Our Head Start and Early Head Start agencies offer:

  • Social and emotional learning: This type of learning helps children understand and manage their feelings. Our programs use social and emotional learning to create a safe and caring environment that supports teamwork and social skills.
  • Family support services: Our team members help families find medical and dental care, keep health records up to date, set parent-child goals, and provide other important resources and referrals.
  • Diverse learner assistance and support: If your child has different learning needs and you want extra services, we help you understand the Early Intervention eligibility and coordinate services through your local school district.
  • Leadership opportunities: Parents can get involved in leadership roles in our agency and network committees and councils.

Eligibility

Income Requirements and Ages of Children Served

In order to qualify for our Head Start and Early Head Start services, you must meet the federal poverty guidelines and have a child, age five or younger, that you would like to enroll. You must be pregnant to qualify for doula services but can be of any age and at any stage of pregnancy. If your income is above the federal guidelines based on your family size, and/or your child is older than five years of age, you will not qualify for our programs.

Federal Poverty Guidelines

Head Start & Early Head Start Contact Form

Please note that this is not an application for CPS or CEL programming.

Start Early partners with Head Start and Early Head Start agencies that deliver doula, home visiting and center-based programs in Chicago, Suburban Cook County and Lake County. We provide services for pregnant people and children prenatally through birth to age 5.

To get started in the enrollment process, please complete this initial contact form and someone will be in touch with you within 48 business hours.

Note: Income is an eligibility requirement for our Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

See Eligibility Guidelines

By providing your zip code, we are able to share resources and program referrals relevant to your location.
It looks like you selected that you do not meet the income requirements according to the federal poverty guidelines, which means you are ineligible for our Early/Head Start Network services. We appreciate your interest but will not be able to process your inquiry. 
If you are unsure if you meet our income eligibility standards, please review the federal poverty guidelines to make your determination, or please reach out to our team at 773-496-5413 or email AColeman@StartEarly.org, to help in this determination. 
If you are not currently pregnant, but do have a child, or children, our Early/Head Start Network serves children and their families through age three for our home-based, home visiting services, and through age five for our center-based services. If you would like to learn more about our network of community-based agencies, please visit our Early/Head Start Network child care page for more information.
It looks like you selected that you are neither pregnant, nor have a child who is five and under that you would like to enroll, which means you are ineligible for our Early/Head Start Network services. We thank you for your interest and encourage you to apply in the future, should you qualify. 
What is the child's birthday?*
If you are enrolling more than one child, please click "enroll another children" to include their information.

If you have additional questions, please call 773-496-5413 or email AColeman@StartEarly.org


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Educare Chicago was founded by Start Early in 2000 as an innovative early learning program serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families on Chicago’s South Side.

Educare pairs the latest research with intensive family engagement to promote school readiness and help families work towards their goals. A pioneer and innovator in early childhood education from the very beginning, Educare Chicago has inspired the development of the Educare Learning Network, a nationwide network of birth-to-age 5 schools.

Visit EducareChicago.org