About Early Head Start

The Early Head Start Program (EHS) promotes healthy prenatal outcomes for women and enhances the development of very young children and their families. Early Head Start provides comprehensive child and family development services year round, as well as providing parenting information, health and safety education and referrals to other local resources. These services are provided in the home free of charge for low-income pregnant women and children through three years of age.

During the 2008-2009 program year, Venango and Crawford Early Head Start served 175 families and a total of 270 children and pregnant women. The combined Early Head Start maintained their maximum enrollment of 188 children and pregnant women every month.

In addition to participating in weekly home visits, 667 parents, guardians, grandparents and their children attended socializations during the 2009-2010 program year. Socializations occur twice a month and are designed to complement home visits. They provide much needed opportunities for children to experience social interactions with other children their age. Socializations also give adults the chance to watch their children interact with others, experience new things, try new foods and become better prepared for pre-school.

Parents took advantage of the opportunity to volunteer with 90 parents giving their time to Parent Committee during the year. Involvement consisted of attending and participating in planning meetings, a Pamper Moms activity, Family Photo Night, a Fatherhood Picnic, a Scrapbooking event and Walking Night at the Mall. Of these parents, five of them also served on Policy Council.

Community Services of Venango County (CSVC) and the Early Head Start staff have worked hard to keep families involved with Early Head Start.

Early Head Start has been available in Venango County since 1999.