-
Osceola County administration building
Learning starts at an early age and another year of opportunities for local children through Head Start and Early Head Start was funded by the Osceola County Commission on Monday.
Approximately $272,000 will support Community Coordinated Care for Children, Inc. (4C) programs to promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed in life and these programs are integral to that process,” said Viviana Janer, vice chairwoman of the County Commission. “It is important to empower children with the confidence to excel in school and achieve self-sufficiency as adults. Research shows that 90 percent of a child’s critical brain development happens by age five, which means that early learning experiences greatly impact a child’s ability to start kindergarten ready to learn.”
Early Head Start is open to children under 3 years old, while children 3 to 5 years old participate in Head Start. Head Start combines services such as education, early childhood development, health, nutrition, mental health, disability services, family support and parental involvement with the goal of enhancing the child’s life and building a strong family unit.
4C is the approved non-federal entity that provides Head Start and Early Head Start services for Osceola County. There are no other agencies currently providing this type of children's services in Osceola County. The contract is slated to continue through Sept. 30, 2021.
The program will enroll at least 200 children ages 5 and younger in the HS/EHS program. It will also enroll at least 1,400 eligible children in the School Readiness program.
4C provides childcare resource and referral services to 100 percent of Osceola County residents who request information on early learning programs/resources.
Without access to early learning programs, studies show that children from lower socio-economic status enter school behind their peers and may never catch up. Comprehensive early care and intervention services, however, are a great equalizer, promoting school success and lifelong learning for all children, regardless of economic status.
