About the Early Head Start and Early ECEAP Programs

The ESD 112 Early Head Start and Early ECEAP programs help promote school readiness for infants and toddlers by enhancing children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development, and supporting parents and families in this effort.

Families enrolled in Early Head Start and Early ECEAP will participate in:

• Child care and home visiting options for prenatal women and children aged birth to 3 years
• Children are provided with educational, health, and nutritional services
• Assist children and families with community resources
• Opportunities for parent involvement and leadership opportunities

Early Head Start and Early ECEAP provide comprehensive child and family development services for low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers ages birth to three years.

Qualifying families may enroll in our home-based program or our center-based program. For more information on our Early Head Start and Early ECEAP programs, please contact us at 360-952-3466 or send us an email.

Early Head Start is a federally funded program through the Office of Head Start. Early ECEAP is state-funded through DCYF

Learn more about Early Head Start.

Early Head Start Home-Based Program

Early Head Start provides free comprehensive child development and family support services for low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers ages birth to three. Families enrolled in the program will participate in weekly home visits and biweekly parent-child playgroups.

What’s Included

• The Early Head Start program is designed to help your child’s development and promote school readiness.
• Includes year-round, weekly 1 ½ hour home visits.
• Parent-child playgroups two times per month.
• We work with you on your child’s learning by collecting information from you about your child, assessing their on-going development, and coming up with child goals together.
• We conduct initial screening for health, hearing, vision, and development and assist with referrals or follow-up as needed.
• We track well-child exams, dental exams & immunizations and assist you in staying up-to-date
• We assist parents with developing personal or family-level goals and provide community resources and referrals as needed.
• We offer parent education & leadership opportunities.

Child Care Program

Early Head Start & Early ECEAP provide comprehensive child development and family support services for families with infants and toddlers ages birth to three. Families enrolled in the program will receive services at one of our Early Care & Education Center locations.

Note: DCYF Child Care Subsidy is required for enrollment. All families are responsible for monthly DCYF co-payment.

What’s Included

• The Early Head Start & Early ECEAP program is designed to help your child’s development and promote school readiness.
• Full-day, full-year, licensed child care setting.
• We work with you on your child’s learning by collecting information from you about your child, assessing their ongoing development, and coming up with child goals together.
• We conduct initial screenings for health, hearing, vision, & development and assist with referrals or follow-up as needed.
• We track well-child exams, dental exams & immunizations and assist you in staying up-to-date.
• We assist parents with developing personal or family-level goals and provide community resources & referrals as needed.
• Teacher will conduct 2 home visits & 2 parent-teacher conferences per year.
• Family Support Specialist will conduct 4 Home Visits per year and monthly phone check-ins.
• We offer parent education & leadership opportunities.

Parent Policy Council

Policy Council is a leadership opportunity for parent volunteers in Early Head Start (EHS),  Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP), and Early ECEAP to have a voice in major program planning, policy and decision-making. Through Policy Council they are able to advocate for the best interest of their child and family while gaining leadership skills.

In addition to their regular meetings, once a year EHS. Early ECEAP and ECEAP staff bring the Policy Council parents and the ESD 112 Board of Directors together at the ESD for a dinner and training session. Parents are given the opportunity to share their families’ stories and experiences in the programs with the Board. Members of both groups participate in training related to roles and responsibilities as well as how the two governing bodies, along with management staff, engage in a shared decision-making process.

Policy Council Leadership

Upcoming election will be held in October 2024. Please speak with your Family Support Specialist if you are interested in getting involved in one of the open positions.