The Choctaw Nation Early Head Start program was recently awarded an Early Head Start Child Care Partnership grant. The grant will allow the staff (pictured) more opportunities to provide a continuum of care for children, getting them school-ready while helping parents get more involved with their children’s education prior to head start.
Choctaw Nation develops new early childcare program
Durant, Okla. - A new service is in the works for Choctaw families, which will act as a prequel to the Head Start program and expand the serviced age range.
With the new Early Head Start program, the Choctaw Nation will care for infants and toddlers from birth up to age three. Before, the Choctaw Nation began care for youth with the Head Start program, which children could enter once they turned three years of age.
This effectively extends the age range of Choctaw Nation childcare programs to include children from birth up to five years of age.
The Early Head Start program is currently funded to support the care of 138 children. This support for families will enhance self-sufficiency and school readiness for the children, beginning at an earlier age than ever before.
Early Head Start will offer additional aid covering the areas of family services, health, mental health, nutrition and education.
The program is focused on low-income families. It is a Choctaw-preference program, but the service is open to all families living near Early Head Start locations.
At launch, two facilities will be available: the Child Development Center in Bennington, and Kids Ranch in Broken Bow. Construction is currently underway for an additional center in Durant, scheduled to open in Jan. 2016.
To apply, parents must fill out a three-page application. Proof of income, residency, and birth will be required alongside the application.
Contact Pam Savage at 1 (800) 522-6170, ext. 2591, to apply or learn more. For in-person assistance with applications, visit one of the Early Head Start locations.