Early Childhood Education: Ages 0-3 and Pregnant People
The Child Center of NY offers early childhood education, including Early Head Start, for children ages 0-3 and pregnant people from low-income families.* Programs are free for eligible children.
We offer three home-based Early Head Start programs in Astoria, Corona, and Woodside. This means a home visitor (like a teacher) comes to where you live and works with you and your child there. We also offer a center-based classroom for 2-year-olds at our Escalera Early Head Start in Manhattan.
For children who are at least 16 months old and less than 3 years old, we also offer the award-winning ParentChild+ (PC+) curriculum in Astoria, Corona, Jamaica, and Woodside. Like Early Head Start, PC+ also operates through home visits. Home visitors come to the home to deliver free books and toys and guidance on using them.
All of our early childhood education programs help parents learn the best ways to bond with their children and give them the best start in life.
Early Head Start: Benefits for Your Child
At Early Head Start, we ensure children start their education on the right foot by getting them ready and excited for school. We also work with parents and other caregivers so they can support their children’s development on their own. Priority is given to children with a diagnosed disability, and we welcome children of all levels of ability.
Our programs provide continuous, comprehensive child development and family support services for infants, toddlers, pregnant people, and families with limited financial resources. Parenting education and the support of a positive parent-child relationship are integral to the program; so is a focus on supporting the whole child: their physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. For example, we collaborate with Northwell Health to enhance our health services. A partnership with Strong Children Wellness provides primary medical care (pediatrician visits) for our clients. Mental health services, specific to this age group, are embedded within all of our Early Head Start programs.
Early Head Start Results
Every year, children in our programs make significant progress toward reaching or even exceeding widely held expectations for development. For example, only 2% of 4-year-olds at Escalera Head Start met or exceeded expectations in areas such as literacy, math, and social-emotional development in the fall. By spring, 83% of children met or exceeded those expectations, including 92% of children without a diagnosed disability.**
We help every child reach their own potential.
Please see our latest Head Start annual report for more information, and see below for our locations. We look forward to meeting you!
*We offer a limited number of slots for over-income families. Our Early Head Start programs are funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start.
**Refers to fall 2024 and spring 2025.
Locations
Early Head Start, Astoria
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Services provided: Home-based services for children ages 0-3 and pregnant people, Children who are at least 16 months old and less than three years old may be eligible for ParentChild+
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, and health and nutrition services.
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: Bengali, English, Spanish
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Families must live in the following zip codes: 11101, 11102, 11103, 11105, and 11106
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Preference will be given to families who live in Queensbridge, Astoria Houses, or Ravenswood Houses.
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Assistant Director: Kathy Salazar kathysalazar@childcenterny.org
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Funded by the Department of Youth and Community Development and City Council Discretionary Funding (Domestic and Other Violence Emergencies: DOVE)
Address: 37-34 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11101
Phone: 718-819-5687
Early Childhood Corona
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Services provided: Home-based services for children ages 0-3 and pregnant people. Children who are at least 16 months old and less than three years old may be eligible for ParentChild+
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, and health and nutrition services.
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This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services and classrooms for children ages 3-5 years old
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: English, Spanish
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Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11368
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Other zip codes include 11369, 11372, 11373
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Senior Program Director: Joanny Ruiz joannyruiz@childcenterny.org
Address: 34-10 108 Street, Corona, NY 11368
Phone: 347-287-0175
Early Head Start, Manhattan (Escalera)
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Services provided: center-based classroom for 2-year-olds.
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Special services for enrolled children: Mental Health services, parenting classes, and health and nutrition services.
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This site also offers a center-based Head Start classroom for children ages 3-5 years old
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: English and Spanish
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Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip codes 10024, 10025, and 10027
169 West 87th Street
New York, NY 10024
Phone: 212-799-2440
Watch a short video about Escalera Head Start in English or español below.
Early Head Start, Woodside
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Services provided: Home-based services for children ages 0-3 and pregnant people, Children who are at least 16 months old and less than three years old may be eligible for ParentChild+
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, health and nutrition services.
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This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: English, Spanish, Bengali
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Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11377
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Other zip codes include 11104, 11137, 11370, 11372, and 11373
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Assistant Director: Abigail David abigaildavid@childcenterny.org
Cohen Family Wellness Center (CCBHC)
43-08 52nd Street, Second Floor, Woodside, NY 11377
Phone: 718-458-4243
Thank you to the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) for their funding and support for our Early Head Start program in Astoria.
ParentChild+
The ParentChild + program (PC+) is a national, evidence-based literacy and parenting model. It provides parents with the knowledge and resources to build school readiness where it starts: the home. Extensive scientific research consistently shows that this model significantly improves parent-child interactions, increases school readiness and later school success, and reduces the risk of child abuse and neglect. We are pleased to bring this nationally recognized program to families in Queens.
PC+ helps parents learn the best ways to bond with their children and give them the best start in life. A trained specialist visits the home and shows parents how they can help their toddler learn, grow, reach developmental milestones, and feel confident and safe. There is no cost for the program, and free books and toys are provided during the visits, along with guidance on using them. To get more of a sense of how we help families, please read LS’ Story, written by a parent in our program. ParentChild+ programs are available in Astoria, Corona, Jamaica, and Woodside.
Locations
ParentChild+, Astoria
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Children must be at least 16 months old and less than 3 years old. This location also offers Early Head Start for children prenatal to age 3.
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, and health and nutrition services.
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: Bengali, English, Spanish
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Families must live in the following zip codes: 11101, 11102, 11103, 11105, and 11106
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Preference will be given to families who live in Queensbridge, Astoria Houses, or Ravenswood Houses.
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Assistant Director: Kathy Salazar kathysalazar@childcenterny.org
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Funded by the Department of Youth and Community Development
Address: 37-34 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11101
Phone: 718-819-5687
ParentChild+, Corona
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Children must be at least 16 months old and less than 3 years old. This location also offers Early Head Start for children prenatal to age 3
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, and health and nutrition services.
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This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Head Start classrooms for children ages 3-5 years old (insert hyperlink)
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: English, Spanish
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Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11368
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Other zip codes include 11369, 11372, 11373
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Senior Program Director: Joanny Ruiz joannyruiz@childcenterny.org
Address: 34-10 108 Street, Corona, NY 11368
Phone: 347-287-0175
ParentChild+, Jamaica
- Program Coordinator: Lateashea Foster lateasheafoster@childcenterny.org
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Children must be at least 16 months old and less than three years old.
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Families must live in the following ZIP codes: 11433, 11434, 11435, or 11436. Preference will be given to those who live in Jamaica Houses or Baisley Park Houses.
ParentChild+, Woodside
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Children must be at least 16 months old and less than 3 years old. This location also offers Early Head Start for children prenatal to age 3
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Special services for enrolled children: Group for pregnant women, mental health services, parenting classes, coordination of services for children with special needs, health and nutrition services.
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This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services
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Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
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Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Languages: English, Spanish, Bengali
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Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11377
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Other zip codes include 11104, 11137, 11370, 11372, and 11373
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Assistant Director: Abigail David abigaildavid@childcenterny.org
Cohen Family Wellness Center (CCBHC)
43-08 52nd Street, Second Floor, Woodside, NY 11377
Phone: 718-458-4243
Thank you to the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) for their funding and support for our ParentChild+ programs in Astoria and Jamaica.