Preparing for Success: How Head Start Helps Children with Disabilities and Their Families

Publication Date: May 2005

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy; National Easter Seal Society (U.S.)

Author(s): Danielle Ewen; Katherine Beh Neas

Research Area: Population and demographics; Social conditions

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

In 2004, 13 percent of the children in Head Start and Early Head Start (more than 134,000 children) were diagnosed with a disability. Without Head Start, some of these children might have gone undiagnosed, leaving their disabilities unaddressed for years. This paper, a joint venture between CLASP and Easter Seals, updates data from a 2003 paper of the same title. It details the requirements that Head Start grantees must meet to serve children with disabilities and provides data on how the programs are meeting them.