Services | Head Start | SIU

Family & Community Partnerships services include:

• Family support services for enrolled families.
• Links families with the community.
• Assistance available to families in areas such as: education, parenting, job finding skills, personal development, etc.
• Each family is assigned a Family & Community Service Worker.
• Parents receive at least one home visit per year by their Family & Community Service Worker to work on family goal setting.

Children with special needs will receive appropriate individual services in addition to the preschool education program. At SIU Head Start, we will:

• Identify, evaluate needs and coordinate services to children and their families with special needs.
• Work with children who are dually enrolled in both Head Start and special education programs.
• Work closely with local school districts and agencies to provide services to children with disabilities, dually enrolled children.
• Assist the family through referrals. Locate and provide services with outside agencies for children with special needs. 
• Work with parents to ensure that they are educated about their child’s disability, and are aware of the child’s rights to the optimal available education. 
• Work closely with the classroom teacher to make sure the teacher has the knowledge and skills to work with special needs children.

SIU Head Start Health Services provides a comprehensive health services program which includes a broad range of medical dental, mental health and nutrition services to preschool-aged children, and promotes preventive health services and early intervention.

We provide the child's family with the necessary skills and insight and otherwise attempt to link the family to an ongoing health care system, and utilize a Health Advisory Committee composed of staff, parents and community health professionals for advisement and guidance.

Head Start students receive all required health exams and screenings within the appropriate time frame:

• Physical, DCFS health requirement
• Up-to-date Immunizations, DCFS health requirement
• Blood lead test with results, DCFS health requirement
• TB Test with results, DCFS health requirement
• Hemoglobin/hematocrit with results, 90 days after initial start date
• Dental, within 90 days after initial start date
  
• Vision/Hearing, within 45 days after initial start date

The mental health services at SIU Head Start:

• Provide activities that encourage the social and emotional development of children enrolled in the program. 
• Assist with family support issues, such as substance abuse, domestic violence, or stress-related issues.
• Ensure teaching staff and mental health staff are skilled in working with children and families dealing with child behavior and family functioning.
• Promotion of mental wellness and encouraging positive social relations in children is our goal. 
• Perform general classroom observations, periodically throughout the year to ensure that our classroom environments are supportive, responsive, and positive in meeting children’s needs.
• Support a teacher who may feel a child is experiencing difficulties, or showing concerning behaviors in the classrooms and would benefit from mental health services. 
• Contact parents to discuss the situation.  Many preschool age children experience periods of non-compliance and stress. 
• Teaches children and families how to handle stress in a more positive way.

Children enrolled in Head Start receive either breakfast and lunch or lunch and a snack every day, depending on which session they attend. Meals are free for all enrolled children. Emphasis is placed on nutritional foods that children enjoy and meals are served family style.

SIU Head Start is enrolled in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and our nutrition program is designed to help meet children’s daily nutritional needs.

• Staff are trained on how to create a pleasant meal atmosphere, which develops acceptance to a variety of foods and creates positive attitudes towards eating.
• Nutrition activities for children are conducted in the classroom on a weekly basis.
• Snack/meal time is viewed as an opportunity for learning and developing good health habits, socialization skills, self-help skills, decision-making skills, and communication skills.
• Each child is ensured of receiving a nutritional assessment. Identifying specific nutritional needs of individual children is one of the program’s responsibilities.
• Special dietary needs and feeding problems, especially of children with disabilities, will be given individual attention.
• Our nutritionist is available to parents for one on one nutritional counseling.

Bus transportation is available for children living within designated transportation areas. SIU Head Start is committed to providing a safe and efficient commute for children to-and-from each center:

• Head Start drivers comply with Illinois Secretary of State bus driver regulations and receive training in first aid and CPR
• There is at least one bus monitor on board at all times to assist and supervise children
• Bus monitors sing songs, play quiet games with children during the route
• A buzzer system is in place to ensure no children are left on a bus
• Children are secured in seats equipped with child safety restraints
• Children are only released to individuals authorized by the parent
• Each bus is equipped with safety devices such as a two-way radio, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and seat belt cutters
• Transportation is provided to families upon request for medical, dental and social service appointment

Visits from parents are encouraged and welcomed. Parents can spend time volunteering in their child's class. Head Start provides parenting education, parent leadership opportunities and family support services, and they schedule home visits and parent conferences.

At SIU Head Start parents have the opportunity to:

• Take a leadership role in the program - (Parent Committee Chair, Policy Council Representative, etc.)
• Attend monthly Parent Meetings
• Be elected to the Policy Council
• Learn about topics of interest to parents
• Volunteer in the classroom, office, center, kitchen, bus, etc.
• Participate in special events
• Plan an activity with other parents
• Participate in Male Involvement opportunities
• Provide input into program