Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Grant

Background

In the 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama announced plans to grow the supply of high-quality early learning opportunities for children from birth to three, so that more children from low-income families can develop and learn from an early age, through Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) as defined by the Federal Early Head Start (EHS) Act. Although the state-funded early learning and care programs provide some of the services required by the EHS federal act, EHS requirements supersede to require additional comprehensive services and governing oversight, significantly more than required by the existing state funded programs. These additional EHS comprehensive services are critical to meet the need of these “at risk” infants and toddlers.

Program Description

The California Department of Education (CDE) was awarded the EHS-CCP grant in January 2015, joining five other states around the country. This EHS-CCP grant allows California to improve and expand quality services to 236 infants, toddlers and their families in ten rural counties of Northern California: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sutter, Trinity and Yuba. Many children and families in this region share characteristics that have been identified in the community assessment process. These include: children who are protective service recipients; children who are at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation; families below federal poverty income levels; English language learners and dual language learners; pregnant teens, teen parents, and low birth weight babies.

Many of the northern counties are sparsely populated, with limited access to basic services, including early learning and care options. This area has many needs and few resources. Unemployment, teen births, child abuse and neglect, and drug and alcohol problems are prevalent. Education is the main avenue out of poverty, and there is nothing more important to families than ensuring that children receive quality early education in a safe environment.

As its primary goal, the EHS-CCP grant builds upon the current level of services offered to children and families in the community and increases the quality of services offered through center-based and family child care home education network services. In many areas, center-based services do not exist due to local constraints (geographic terrain, weather, availability of center-based options, etc.). Partner Agencies (PAs) are offering EHS services through both centers and family child care homes. Providing funding for both program options (center-based and family child care home education networks) is more suitable for the proposed geographic location and enables access to a larger population of children and families, thereby improving the educational and health outcomes for more children and families, while reducing future costs for social services. CDE’s multifaceted approach is: Improving the quality of services provided by PAs already serving infants and toddlers; and expanding the number of slots available through PAs and family child care home education networks where the need exists.

Annual Reports

• Fiscal Year 2019-20 (PDF)
• Fiscal Year 2020-21 (PDF)
• Fiscal Year 2021-22 (PDF)
• Fiscal Year 2022-23 (PDF)

Service Area

Ten rural counties of California: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sutter, Trinity, and Yuba.

Resources

• Head Start Act
• Head Start Performance Standards

For more information about the EHS-CCP within the nine counties, please contact:

Donna Elmore, Administrator
Program Quality Improvement - Early Head Start Office
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3410
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-319-0545
Email: delmore@cde.ca.gov

The California Program Quality Improvement - Early Head Start Office is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.