Early Head Start

The Child Center of NY offers Early Head Start for children ages 0-3, including 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.

Get an inside look at our Early Head Start home visiting programs in English or español.

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!

Apply

*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

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+
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.
Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Languages: Bengali, English, Spanish
Families must live in the following zip codes: 11101, 11102, 11103, 11105, and 11106
Preference will be given to families who live in Queensbridge, Astoria Houses, or Ravenswood Houses.
Assistant Director: Kathy Salazar kathysalazar@childcenterny.org
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 Head Start, Corona

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+
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.
This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Head Start classrooms for children ages 3-5 years old
Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Languages: English, Spanish
Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11368
Other zip codes include 11369, 11372, 11373
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)

Services provided: center-based classroom for 2-year-olds.
Special services for enrolled children: Mental Health services, parenting classes, and health and nutrition services.
This site also offers a center-based Head Start classroom for children ages 3-5 years old
Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Languages: English and Spanish
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

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+
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.
This site also offers Early Childhood Mental Health Services
Admission criteria: Low income, with limited slots for over-income and children with a diagnosed disability.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Languages: English, Spanish, Bengali
Families must live in the following zip codes: Preferred zip code 11377
Other zip codes include 11104, 11137, 11370, 11372, and 11373
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.