Early Head Start Program

Early Head Start is a comprehensive child development program serving poverty-level pregnant women and families with children aged 0-3.

Program Options

Home Visiting

The Home Visiting Program is a free parent education and family support program designed to help parents build strong, healthy relationships with their young children. Serving pregnant individuals and families with children from birth to age five, the program pairs families with a trained early childhood educator who provides personalized, in-home support using the evidence-based Parents as Teachers curriculum. During weekly visits, families participate in fun, hands-on learning activities that promote child development while strengthening parenting knowledge and confidence. Families also receive developmental screenings, information on child health and safety, guidance on age-appropriate behaviors, and connections to community resources. In addition, parents have opportunities to meet and learn alongside other families through group socialization activities and community events. Research shows that home visiting programs help strengthen parent-child relationships, increase parenting confidence, and support positive outcomes for children and families.

Center-Based Child Care

Early Head Start has a full-day, full year child care program that is free of cost for low income families with children under the age of 3. Early Head Start's three child care centers operate Monday-Thursday, from 7:30am to 5 p.m. In addition to quality child care, Early Head Start provides referrals for parents, conducts developmental, nutrition, and health screenings to monitor development of children, holds monthly parent engagement activities, and provides meals and diapers for children while at the center. To qualify for center-based child care, all adults in the home must be working or attending school full-time.

WCSD Combination Program

Early Head Start and Washoe County School District have partnered to provide child care at Wooster High School and Innovations High School for parents attending high school. This program consists of center-based child care, with 3 months of home visiting services provided when school is out of session.

Qualifications and Application Process

To qualify for the Early Head Start program families must fall below the federal income guidelines and either be pregnant or have a child under the age of 3.

Complete applications should include:

Proof of age for your child such as: birth certificate, birth confirmation or immunization record.
Proof of pregnancy if you would like to enroll prenatally- For example, doctor's note, prenatal appointment summary, or ultrasound copy that includes your name, doctor's name, and date/weeks of gestation.
Income Documentation such as:
- Award letter for SNAP, SSI or TANF if anyone in the family is receiving benefits (automatic qualification)
- Or Placement letter for foster care (automatic qualification)
- Or Letter of support if considered homeless/transitional housing/doubled up with another family (automatic qualification)
- Or Last year's tax return or last year's W2's (Tax Form 1040 is preferred)

Early Head Start Program contact information:
Email: EarlyHeadStart@unr.edu
Main address: 3700 Grant Dr., Reno, NV 89509

Please call ahead regarding donations.

This website is supported by Grant Number 09CH012762 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the ҹɫ��Ƶ, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.