Our Early Learning Programs, including Preschool Head Start, Early Head Start, School Readiness, and VPK, go beyond typical childcare to promote comprehensive development, focusing on school readiness and social skills. We see parents as key educators and value your active involvement in fostering your child’s growth across all areas.
Our programs strongly emphasize male engagement and fatherhood, underscoring the crucial role fathers have in child development. We focus on assisting homeless families and children with IEPs, aiming to empower families towards self-sufficiency and goal achievement. We look forward to embarking on this enriching journey with you and your child.
Here’s Why You Should Choose Head Start:
Early Head Start offers extensive development and support services to low-income infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. You Thrive Florida Early Head Start serves 264 children in Hernando and Volusia Counties through a year-round, center-based program that provides enriched early learning and care. Additionally, our staff conduct home visits at least twice annually. In Volusia County, our Home-Based Program supports 24 children by extending these comprehensive services directly into family homes, offering weekly guidance and development support right where families live.
The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) is a free program for 4-year-olds in Florida, designed to prepare them for kindergarten and lay the groundwork for educational success. By enhancing early literacy, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills, VPK complements the comprehensive Head Start Program. Benefits of completing both programs include improved kindergarten readiness, enhanced school attendance, development of lifelong social skills, increased likelihood of advancing grades, and higher chances of high school graduation.
Head Start is a free, federally funded program aimed at promoting school readiness by enhancing children’s social, physical, and cognitive skills. You Thrive Florida Head Start serves 723 children in Hernando, Sumter, and Volusia Counties, focusing on those experiencing homelessness or with disabilities. This program, for children aged 3-4 by September 1, operates in center-based settings that provide a nurturing and educational environment. Head Start actively involves parents as partners with teachers to support the child’s development at school and home.
Florida’s School Readiness Program (SR) provides financial assistance to eligible low-income families to support early education and care, helping them achieve financial self-sufficiency and preparing children for future school success. This program offers services tailored to individual needs, including extended day, after-school, and school-age care, enabling caregivers to stay employed while children receive care. Families enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start can inquire about applying for School Readiness Funds through their Family Advocate. Sites offering these services include Volusia County’s Hope Place, Malloy, Jo Sheppard, and Hernando’s Spring Hill.
Information completed online will be sent to a Family Advocate for follow-up within the next 5 business days.
Please read the list below before submitting an application and ensure that all documents are available at the time of the interview.
Documents needed for eligibility include:
You Thrive Florida staff will never ask clients for personal information to “update You Thrive Florida payroll records” as part of the application process. If you receive an email with this request please contact us immediately to report the request.
We look forward to helping answer any questions you may have. We invite you to complete the form and a representative will reach out to you.
