Both Dena and Patrick
have been very involved in the Head Start Program. Dena serves as the
Vice Chair of the Policy Council at the center, and Patrick participates
in the Male Involvement Program as a parenting role model and counselor
to other young fathers.
"We are trying to get young teen parents ready and on top of issues to benefit their children and the community at large. We are all about building trust," says Mr. Minter. For Amina, Dena, and Patrick, and the other 800 families served in child care by Babyland, it's a start.
More About Head Start Successes
| The Head Start Program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, has served 17,714,000 children since it began in 1965. |
| The 1999 customer satisfaction index for the Head Start Program, as measured among parents of children participating in the program, was 87 on a 0-100 scale. This was the highest score of all Federal agencies participating in the customer satisfaction survey. In fact, it was higher than the highest private sector organizations in all fields - even Mercedes Benz! |
| Positive
reactions are due to benefits both the child and the family are
receiving. Parents feel the program is open to their ideas and participation. |
| The index of parent trust is 94 on a 0-100 scale, another outstanding score, and the vast majority of parents would recommend the program to others. |
What's the bottom line?
Parents think that the Head Start Program works. It benefits their children
in multiple ways, including getting along with other children, improving
their behavior, offering health services to them, and effectively preparing
them for kindergarten.
For more information about Early Head Start and Head Start Programs, visit the Head Start Bureau at the Department of Health and Human Services Internet site or the Head Start Publications Center.
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