HEAD START MISSION STATEMENT
The overall goal of Head Start is to bring about a greater degree of social competence in the young children of low-income families. By social competence is meant the everyday responsibilities in school and in life. Social competence takes into account the interrelatedness of cognitive and intellectual development, physical, and mental health, nutrition needs, and other factors that enable a developmental approach to helping children achieve social competence. The Head Start program is based on the philosophy that:
The
child can benefit most from a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program to
foster development and remedy programs expressed in a broad range of
services.
The
child’s entire family, as well as the community, must be involved.
The program should maximize the strengths and unique experiences of
each child. The family, which
has principal influence on the child’s development, must be a direct
participant in the program.