Head Start is a federally-funded program that promotes school readiness in children from birth to age five for eligible families by providing resources and supports to enhance cognitive, social and emotional development. Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child’s first and most important teachers and partners with parents and families to ensure the child’s well-being and ability to thrive.
Delaware Head Start Programs
Delaware offers child care options to families who are deemed eligible or who meet program requirements. These programs focus on academics, social skills, health and nutrition to better prepare all children for school success.
Head Start and Early Head Start programs support eligible children from low-income families as well as children with disabilities and those who are homeless from birth to their transition into kindergarten. Early Head Start programs offer services to pregnant women as well.
The Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) is for preschool-age children from income-eligible families as well as for children with documented delays or disabilities, regardless of income. Foster children, children who are homeless and families on TANF are also eligible. ECAP programs follow the Head Start Program Performance Standards and must also maintain a Delaware Stars 4 rating or higher. Pre-enrollment takes place each spring and again in August for the September-May school year.
The First Start Delaware Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program supports partnerships between new or existing Early Head Start programs and child care providers who agree to meet the Head Start Program Performance Standards. It is part of the Federal Early Head Start program.
Below is a list of Head Start, Early Head Start, ECAP and EHS-CCP programs:
Head Start Programs
Program Name | Street Address | City | State | Zip | Phone |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Children and Families First | |||||
Administrative Office | 25448 PrimeHook Rd, Suite 400 | Milton | DE | 19968 | (302) 934-1642 |
LOCATIONS | |||||
Bridgeville | 2 Laverty Ln | Bridgeville | DE | 19933 | (302) 337-2285 |
Colonial Gardens | 1000 Hayes Cir | Dover | DE | 19904 | (302) 741-2499 |
Cool Springs | 28607 W Meadowview Dr | Milton | DE | 19968 | (302) 553-3326 |
Dover / White Oak | 195 Willis Rd | Dover | DE | 19901 | (302) 736-5932 |
Dunbar | 1110 W 6th St | Laurel | DE | 19956 | (302) 553-3321 |
Georgetown /Annex | 308 N Railroad Ave | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 604-3793 |
Harrington | 112 East St | Harrington | DE | 19952 | (302) 398-9252 |
Laurel | 30125 Discount Land Rd | Laurel | DE | 19956 | (302) 553-3348 |
Milford | 518 N Church Ave | Milford | DE | 19963 | (302) 553-3326 |
Seaford | 517 Bridgeville Hwy | Seaford | DE | 19973 | (302) 553-3348 |
Selbyville | 28229 Dupont Blvd | Selbyville | DE | 19975 | (302) 604-3793 |
Smyrna | 4272 Brenford Rd | Smyrna | DE | 19977 | (302) 653-3862 |
Stockley | 26351 Patriots Way | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 553-3311 |
New Castle County Head Start | |||||
Administrative Office | 256 Chapman Road, #101 | Newark | DE | 19702 | (302) 452-1500 |
LOCATIONS | |||||
Absalom Jones | 310 Kiamensi Rd | Wilmington | DE | 19804 | (302) 998-8480 |
Bear | 931 Bear Corbitt Rd | Bear | DE | 19701 | (302) 832-2212 |
Claymont | 3301 Green St | Claymont | DE | 19703 | (302) 792-9065 |
Lambson | 19 Lambson Ln | New Castle | DE | 19720 | (302) 655-5070 |
Manor Park | 1 Bassett Ave | New Castle | DE | 19720 | (302) 328-9454 |
Wilmington Head Start | |||||
Administrative Office | 100 West 10th Street, Suite 1016 | Wilmington | DE | 19801 | (302) 421-3620 |
LOCATIONS | |||||
West 3rd Street | 1021 W 3rd St | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 691-3584 |
Van Buren Street Center | 1021 W 3rd St, 2nd floor | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 691-3584 |
Leslie Johnson Center | 2401 Northeast Blvd | Wilmington | DE | 19802 | (302) 762-8038 |
West End Center | 1725 W 8th St | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 472-3452 |
Early Head Start (EHS)
Program Name | Street Address | City | State | Zip | Phone |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Children and Families First | |||||
Dunbar Location | 1110 W 6th St | Laurel | DE | 19956 | (302) 553-3321 |
Harrington Location | 112 East Street | Harrington | DE | 19952 | (302) 398-9196 |
Stockley Location | 26351 Patriots Way | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 553-3331 |
Delaware Early Childhood Center – Harrington | 100 West Mispillion St | Harrington | DE | 19952 | (302) 398-8945 |
Discovery Cove Learning Center | 12034 County Seat Hwy | Laurel | DE | 19956 | (302) 875-7733 |
Discovery Island Early Care and Preschool | 32352 Smith Dr | Dagsboro | DE | 19939 | (302) 732-7529 |
Early Learning Center – Newark | 489 Wyoming Rd | Newark | DE | 19716 | (302) 831-6205 |
Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center | 1018 W 6th St | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 656-3224 |
Kids-R-Us Learning Center | 425 Webbs Ln | Dover | DE | 19904 | (302) 678-1234 |
Latin American Community Center / LaFiesta | 403 N Van Buren St | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 655-7338 |
Little Sprouts | 425 East Stein Highway | Seaford | DE | 19973 | (302) 853-0619 |
Little Sprouts Learning Academy | 425 W Stein Hwy | Seaford | DE | 19973 | (302) 629-3317 |
Milford Early Learning Center, Inc. | 901 N Dupont Blvd | Milford | DE | 19963 | (302) 422-6667 |
Neighborhood House Early Learning Center | 1218 B St | Wilmington | DE | 19801 | (302) 654-1420 |
New Castle County Head Start, Inc. – EHS | 19 Lambson Ln | New Castle | DE | 19720 | (302) 777-5104 |
New Directions Early Head Start – U of DE | 321 South College Avenue | Newark | DE | 19711 | (302) 831-0584 |
Our Future Childcare | 3400 N Market St | Wilmington | DE | 19802 | (302) 765-2020 |
Parents and Children Together at Tech – (PACTT) | 17099 County Seat Hwy | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 856-3490 |
Precious Moments Education & Community Center | 4607 S Dupont Hwy | Dover | DE | 19901 | (302) 698-4696 |
Primeros Pasos | |||||
Primeros Pasos Location | 122 East Pine Street | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 856-7406 |
Primeros Pasos, Inc. Location | 20648 Savannah Rd | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 856-7406 |
Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) &
Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP)
Program Name | Street Address | City | State | Zip | Phone |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Leap of Faith, Inc. | 1715 West 4th Street | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 543-6256 |
Appoquinimink Preschool Center | 502 S. Broad Street | Middletown | DE | 19709 | (302) 376-4400 |
Brandywine School District | 701 West 34th Street | Wilmington | DE | 19802 | (302) 761-7420 |
Cadence Education, LLC dba Tender Loving Kare | 22 Peoples Plaza | Newark | DE | 19702 | (302) 650-4815 |
Capital School District – Early Childhood Lab | 165 Commerce Way | Dover | DE | 19904 | (302) 857-4257 |
Christina Cultural Arts Center, Inc. | 705 N. Market Street | Wilmington | DE | 19801 | (302) 652-0101 |
Christina School District – Early Educ Center | 620 E. Chestnut Hill Road | Newark | DE | 19713 | (302) 454-2720 |
Colonial School District – Early Educ Program | 12 Landers Lane | New Castle | DE | 19720 | (302) 323-2700 |
Delaware Early Childhood Center | 100 West Mispillion St. | Harrington | DE | 19952 | (302) 398-8945 |
DelTech Child Development Center | 21179 College Drive | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 259-6566 |
Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center | 1018 West 6th Street | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 656-3224 |
Indian River School District – Project V.I.L.L.A.G.E | 31 Hoiser Street | Selbyville | DE | 19975 | (302) 732-1346 |
Kingswood Community Center Inc. | 2300 Bowers Street | Wilmington | DE | 19802 | (302) 743-9312 |
Latin American Community Center, Inc. | 403 North Van Buren Street | Wilmington | DE | 19805 | (302) 295-2782 |
Milford Early Learning Center, Inc. | 901 North DuPont Blvd | Milford | DE | 19963 | (302) 422-6667 |
New Castle County Head Start, Inc. | 256 Chapman Road, Suite 103 | Newark | DE | 19702 | (302) 452-1500 |
Precious Moments Education Center | 4607 South Dupont Hwy | Dover | DE | 19901 | (302) 698-7165 |
Primeros Pasos, Inc. | 20648 Savannah Road | Georgetown | DE | 19947 | (302) 856-7406 |
University of Delaware – Early Learning Center | 210 Hullihen Hall | Newark | DE | 19716 | |
Wilmington Head Start, Inc. | 100 West 10th Street | Wilmington | DE | 19801 | (302) 421-3620 |