Early Head Start

The Child Center of NY offers a nationally accredited Early Head Start program for children prenatal to age three. The program provides continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income infants, toddlers, pregnant women, and their families. Parenting education and the support of a positive parent-child relationship are integral to the program, as is a focus on supporting the whole child: their physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. We collaborate with Northwell Health to enhance our health services. Our partnership with Strong Children Wellness provides primary care for our clients. We’ve embedded Early Childhood Mental Health Services within all of our Early Childhood programs.

Our services in Astoria, Corona, and Woodside are home based, and we offer a center-based classroom for 2-year-olds at our Escalera Early Head Start in Manhattan. All programs are designed to meet each family’s individual needs.

Please see our latest Head Start annual report for more information about our Early Head Start programs. All of our Early Head Start programs are free to eligible children.

Apply

Apply for enrollment in any of our Early Head Start or Head Start programs.

Early Head Start, Astoria Home-based Services 37-34 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11101 Phone: 718-819-5687

No Matter What (ParentChild+ in the COVID-19 context)

Assistant Director: Kathy Salazar kathysalazar@childcenterny.org
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Services provided: Home-based services for children prenatal to age 3
Special services: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, health and nutrition services. Early Head Start Astoria also features the ParentChild+ curriculum.
Admission criteria: Low-income children and their families residing in Astoria (zip codes: 11101, 11102 and 11106)
Languages spoken: Bengali, English, Spanish
Public transportation: N or W to 30th Avenue, Q19 to Astoria Boulevard & 14th Street, Q100/Q69 to 21st Street/30th Avenue and Q18/Q102 to 30th Avenue/14th Street

Please read this blog post by Program Director Yolanda Vega to meet one of our team members and see how they can work with you to make a difference in the life of your child.

Early Head Start, Corona Home-based Services
34-10 108 Street Corona NY 11368 Phone: 347-506-0832 Fax: 347-287-0172

Senior Program Director: Aisha Okoro aishaokoro@childcenterny.org
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Services provided: Home-based services for children prenatal to age 3
Special services: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, health and nutrition services. This site also offers a center-based Head Start program for children ages 3-5. Early Head Start Corona also features the ParentChild+ curriculum.
Admission criteria: Low-income children and their families residing in Corona
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Public transportation: #7 subway to 103rd or 111 Street, Q48 to 108 Street and 34th Ave

Escalera Early Head Start Center-based program for 2-year-olds
169 West 87th Street New York, NY 10024 Phone: 212-799-2440

Program Director: Tracey Elting, traceyelting@childcenterny.org
Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Special services: Program offers a 2-year-old classroom at our Escalera center. Mental health services, parenting classes, and health and nutrition services are available to all families. This site also offers a center-based Head Start program for children ages 3-5.
Admission Criteria: Low-income children; Low-income families and children with special needs are welcome.
Ages accepted: 2-year-olds
Languages spoken: English, Spanish

Cohen Family Wellness Center Home-based Services
43-08 52^nd Street, Second Floor, Woodside, NY 11377 Phone: 718-358-8288

Assistant Director: Abigail David abigaildavid@childcenterny.org
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Services provided: Home-based services for children prenatal to age 3
Special services: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, health and nutrition services. Early Head Start Woodside also features the ParentChild+ curriculum.
Admission criteria: Low-income families residing in Woodside.
Languages spoken: English, Spanish, Bengali
Public transportation: Subway—#7 to 61st Street Woodside, Buses—Q18, Q32, Q53, Q60, LIRR

Please read Hilaria’s Story to see how Early Head Start made a difference in the lives of a young mom and her son.

This website is supported by Grant Numbers 02CH012742 and 02CH012677 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of The Child Center of NY and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.