Early Head Start: Identifying and Serving Children with Disabilities

Authors

Carla Peterson, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Shavaun Wall, Catholic University of America
Helen Raikes, University of Nebraska-Lincoln & Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human ServicesFollow
Ellen E. Kisker, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Mark E. Swanson, University of Arkansas
Judith Jerald, Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Jane B. Atwater, University of Kansas
Wei Qiao, Iowa State UniversityFollow

Date of this Version

June 2004

Comments

Published in Topics in Early Childhood Special Education 24:2 (2004), pages 76-88. A publication of PRO-ED Inc. http://www.proedinc.com/
Material prepared by employees of the US Government in the course of their official duties cannot be copyrighted.

Abstract

Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive, two-generation program that provides services to low-income families with children under the age of 3 years. As part of their mandate, staff members of EHS programs collaborate with other service providers in their local communities, including Part C and childcare providers. The incidence of disabilities among low-income children was tracked as part of the EHS Research and Evaluation Project. The incidence of indicators of disabilities (or potential disabilities) was extremely high (87%) among these very young children living in poverty; however, only 99 participating families (4.7% of the sample) received Part C services. Receipt of Part C services was related negatively to specific family characteristics (e.g., mother less well educated, being of color, not speaking English). Participation in EHS had a positive impact on receipt of Part C services.