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Child Care
Care and education for 3-4 year-olds from low-income families
Head Start | NYC Department of Education (DOE)
1. How it Works
Head Start programs provide safe and positive environments for children age 3-4 to learn, play, and build the skills that get them ready for kindergarten and beyond. Programs also provide health, nutrition, and other services to children and their families.
- Your child can begin a Head Start program at any time of the year if you qualify and there are open seats. Programs:
- are free and run year-round for at least eight hours a day.
- provide nutritious meals and health screenings for children.
- Head Start programs also help parents and families achieve their own goals, including employment, housing, adult education, and accessing health services.
- Limited space is also available in Early Head Start programs, which serve pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers.
- Head Start programs are located in centers run by community organizations and non-profits.
- Eligibility is based on your family’s income, housing situation, and/or receipt of HRA cash assistance or SSI.
Next section:
More ways to get help with this program
Visit the website
Learn more about Head Start from NYCDOE.
Call 311
Ask for “Head Start” if you need help finding a program.
2. Determine your eligibility
Your family may qualify for Head Start if at least of these categories applies to you:
- You live in temporary housing
- You receive HRA Cash Assistance
- You receive SSI (Supplemental Security Insurance)
- You’re enrolling a child who is in foster care
- Your family income falls below a certain amount
The best way to find out if your family is eligible for Head Start is to contact a program directly.
Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.
Am I Eligible?Next section:
3. What you need to include
It’s important to include the right documents when you apply. Your documents show whether the program is right for you.
This page can help you choose the right documents for your application.
If you are receiving Cash Assistance, you are automatically eligible for Head Start.
Proof of who you are
For each person applying, any one document:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Baptismal or other religious certificate
- Official hospital or birth records
- Adoption records
- Naturalization certificate
Proof of where you live
For the household, any one document:
- ID card with your address
- Driver license issued within past six months
- Current letter/lease/rent receipt with home address from landlord
- Postmarked envelope, postcard, or magazine label with your name and date (cannot use if sent to a P.O. Box)
- Correspondence from a government agency with your name and address (not a P.O. Box)
- Utility bill (gas, electric, or water)
Proof of your income
For each income source of each income earner, any one document:
Wages & Salary
- W2
- Income tax return
- Business records
- Letter from employer on company letterhead, signed and dated (this document is acceptable, only if you do not have the other types of documents)
- Paycheck stubs (from the last four weeks in a row that you worked)
Self employment
- Records of earnings and expenses
- Signed and dated income tax return and all schedules
Cash Assistance
- Cash Assistance Budget Letter
Military pay
- Current award letter
- Current check stub
Child Support/Alimony
- Alimony check stub
- Child support check stub
- Letter from court
- Letter from person providing support
Unemployment Income
- 1099-G
- Award letter or certificate
- Correspondence from NYS Department of Labor
Social Security benefits (SSI, Dependent, Disability, Survivor’s, Retirement)
- Correspondence from Social Security Administration
- Current award letter or certificate
- Current benefit check
Veteran’s benefits
- Current award letter
- Current benefit check stub
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4. How to apply
Here are your options.
Apply in person
To apply for Head Start, you will need to contact a program near you.
To find a 3-K – Head Start program near you:
- Go to MySchools.
- Click “More Filters”. Select the “Head Start” checkbox under “Year-Round 3-K Programs”.
- Type in your home address to search for a program.
To find a Pre-K – Head Start program near you:
- Go to MySchools.
- Click “More Filters”. Select the “Head Start” checkbox under “Year Round Programs”.
- Type in your home address to search for a program.
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More ways to get help with this program
Visit the website
Learn more about Head Start from NYCDOE.
Call 311
Ask for “Head Start” if you need help finding a program.
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