Children's Home Society, Early Head Start Program Information

Children's Home Society, Early Head Start Program Information

The Early Head Start (EHS) program is for low-income infants and toddlers (birth to three), pregnant women and their families. EHS programs enhance children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; increase parent/child bonding and attachment; assist pregnant women to access comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care; support parents' efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and help parents move toward self-sufficiency.

Who Is Eligible? Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) Early Head Start (EHS) Home-based Program is a relationship and strength based Home Based Early Intervention and Prevention program for low-income at-risk families with children ages zero to three who:

• Live with their parents that have current or have had past contact with the child abuse system
• Are pregnant women, including adolescents, especially pregnant teens in the foster care system
• Are abused or neglected children living in or transitioning home from foster care or kinship care
• Are homeless
• Have a physical or mental disability

Program Services and Support.  The CHS EHS program is a voluntary, home-based, intensive, comprehensive and flexible Partnering with Parent program designed to meet Head Start Standards through the following program components:

• The overall CHS EHS program structure will engage and support families to fully participate in the parenting process and plan for self-sufficiency through culturally sensitive weekly home visitations and twice-monthly group socializations.
• The CHS EHS program curriculum, “Partners for a Healthy Baby”, is an English and Spanish language practice-informed, individualized and developmentally centered five volume series from prenatal to thirty-six months, that will address Head Start Standards through its topics, purposes and activities.
• Linking with comprehensive Health Services will include well child visits, preventive and primary care and follow up that ensures nutrition, dental and mental health concerns that will be identified and addressed.
• Education and support services for expectant families will be provided before, during and after pregnancy.
• Family and child transitions will be organized around current and anticipated family need, health, education, activities, and follow up.
• Translation services and bi-lingual staff will be available in county service areas where English is not participants’ home language.

 Through the CHS EHS program, every participating family will receive weekly year round – 90 minute home visits by a program home visitor, in addition to participating in a two-hour group Socialization experience twice a month, and being offered additional enrichment experiences such as Doula services and participation in a Father's Support Group.

CHS EHS Enhanced Services

  Doula Services – The CHS EHS Doulas will be trained community volunteers that will mentor pregnant women during the last few weeks of pregnancy, birth and up to two weeks following birth. The role of a Doula is to foster parental attachment through labor coaching, breastfeeding education and counseling, and role-modeling nurturing. Volunteer Doulas will be carefully matched with an expectant mother by the volunteer coordinator with the home visitor according to their mutual preferences, and decision to work together after meeting.

Natural Helper Support – Natural helpers provide volunteer family, friend or neighbor support for program participants. Program participants will have an opportunity to identify one or more of these natural helpers to engage with their home visitor and provide on-going feedback during their EHS involvement.  Natural helpers may assume many different roles such as birthing coach, transporter, tutor or mentor.

Father's Support Groups –  The Father's Support Groups meet monthly in each county (Orange, Seminole, Osceola) with the goal of providing opportunities for fathers and father figures to interact and support one another as their families grow and development.  The support group includes an education component and recognizes the unique and special role fathering plays on the well-being of children by discussing their on-going parenting roles and experiences.

To inquire about the program or receive additional information please contact Jan Harkness at 321-397-3000.