Our Vision

The mission of the Delaware Head Start Association, Inc., is to promote and support – through advocacy, education, and collaboration – Head Start/ Early Head Start / Early Childhood Assistance Programs’ high quality services to vulnerable children and their families.

Each child is unique and can succeed.

• Children have diverse strengths rooted in their families’ cultures, backgrounds, languages and beliefs.
• Learning occurs within the context of relationships. Responsive and supportive interactions with other children and adults are essential to a child’s learning.
• Children learn best when their physical and emotional needs are met.
• An emphasis on promoting healthy development should include efforts to both prevent, detect and address developmental concerns at the earliest possible time.
• Every child has the right to maintain his or her own identity while acquiring the skills required to function in a diverse society.

Families are a child’s first and most important caregivers, teachers and advocates.

• Families are respected and supported as the primary influence in their child’s early learning and education.
• Families know their own strengths and needs and are the best advocates for their child(ren).
• Supporting families’ well-being leads to better outcomes for children.

The well-being of children is linked to the well-being of all those who work in early care and education.

• The essential role of the early learning workforce warrants respect, recognition, and appropriate compensation.
• A strong workforce includes diverse individuals in various roles who are provided with on-going opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Culturally relevant and responsive programming requires a workforce who both reflect and respect the communities and families who are served.

Early childhood education is a public good and requires our collective commitment and investment.

• We are all called to be advocates for children and their families.
• Investment in early care and education leads to positive outcomes in future educational performance, earning power and health.
• Investment in early care and education includes staff compensation appropriate to one’s qualifications, skills, experience and level of education.
• Effective collaboration with local community agencies and service providers maximizes resources available to families with young children.

High quality programs demonstrate a commitment to effective practice and continuous learning.

• Effective programming builds on a child’s intrinsic strengths and engages the child in developmentally appropriate instruction and opportunities for exploration and meaningful play.
• High quality programming includes families as partners in program planning and delivery.
• Early childhood programs have the responsibility to regularly assess their own strengths and opportunities for growth and develop plans to improve their practice.