Child Care/Child Support
> Florida Head Start Program
Head Start is both the name of a family of Federal programs for low-income children and their families, and the name given to the original program for children from three to five years of age. The Head Start family of programs includes: Early Head Start, Migrant Head Start, and American Indian Head Start. Head Start is designed to facilitate child development and promote school readiness by enhancing social and cognitive development through the provision of health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services to meet the comprehensive needs of families.
Funding for all Head Start programs flows directly from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to local agencies. Communities provide a 25% local match to Federal funds. There are no parent fees for this program. There are Head Start services for preschool age children in every county in Florida.
General Program Requirements:
In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the State of Florida, you must be a parent or primary caregiver responsible for a child who is too young for public school and your household's annual income before taxes must not exceed $10,830 if one person lives in the household; $14,570 if two people live in the household; $18,310 if three people live in the household; $22,050 if four people live in the household; $25,790 if five people live in the household; $29,530 if six people live in the household; $33,270 if seven people live in the household; $37,010 if eight people live in the household; and $40,750 if more than eight people live in the household. For larger households, add $3,740 for each additional person in the home.
If you do not meet these criteria, you may still qualify if you are a U.S. national, citizen or permanent resident whose financial status is low income or very low income, who is under-employed, unemployed or about to become unemployed, facing pregnancy, less than 19 years of age yourself, or the parent or primary caregiver for children under the age of 19 years. Other qualifications may apply.
For enrollment information, contact the program nearest you:
Program Contact Information:
For more information on the programs offered by the Florida Partnership for School Readiness, please visit our website at:
Florida Head Start-State Collaboration Office