I. Children & Family Development

This department conducts programs in SHARE's four county service area designed to improve the educational, emotional, and physical well being of pre-school children and their families - mainly through its award winning Head Start Program. A highly trained staff of 275 works with over 1,400 children and their families in a variety of settings to provide a strong foundation for school readiness and long-term success in school and later life.

In addition, parents are seen as an integral part of the success of this department and are encouraged to take an active role in program planning and policy making. Many parents also serve as volunteers for the program and have a voice in managerial decisions. This participation not only benefits the children, but it also enhances parenting skills, literacy skills, and employability.

Currently, SHARE's Department of Children and Family Development operates 22 child development centers, with a total of 75 Head Start classrooms and 12 Early Head Start classrooms. Five centers provide full-year service and 17 operate for nine months. Eleven centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) with ten more expected to receive their accreditation by June 2002; and nine centers are certified by the ABC Child Care Voucher System Program.

Head Start(Back to top)

Consistently seen as one of the best Head Start programs in the southeast and the nation, SHARE Head Start provides quality, comprehensive child development services to low-income 3 and 4 year olds and their families. Children attend class Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 2:30pm and receive a variety of learning experiences to foster intellect, social and emotional growth.

They participate in indoor and outdoor play and are introduced to the concepts of words and numbers. They are also encouraged to express their feelings and to develop self-confidence and the ability to get along with others.

In addition to classroom activities, they receive two nourishing meals and a snack daily, medical and dental screening and care as needed, and special instruction for those with physical and/or learning disabilities.

SHARE Head Start also is proud to announce that it has gained national recognition and admiration by recently being re-certified as a Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association (NHSA). This certification, bestowed upon only fifteen (15) of the over two thousand five hundred (2,500) Head Start programs nationally, requires documentation of the positive impact on the children, families, and communities served and is aimed at recognizing Head Start programs nationwide that have a long-standing record of exemplary service in early childhood education.

Early Head Start Program(Back to top)

The Early Head Start program provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services on a year-round basis to low-income families with children under age three and pregnant woman. The program enhances the child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; assists parents in fulfilling their parental roles; and helps parents move toward self-sufficiency. The program focuses on child development, family development, and community building and staff development.

Extended Day Program(Back to top)

The Extended Day Program is funded through the ABC Voucher Childcare System. This program serves parents of Head Start children who are working, in job training, or in enrolled in school. Childcare services are provided from 2:30pm to 6:00pm each weekday and parents are charged on a state-prescribed scale, based on income.

Full Day, Full Year Program(Back to top)

This program provides full day, full year services to children currently enrolled in the Head Start program in order to help meet the needs of parents who are working or in school.

Family Service Program(Back to top)

The goal of the Family Service Center is to utilize an inter-agency collaboration with SHARE's other department, Community Economic Opportunity, by providing intensive case management to Head Start families to reduce, prevent, and treat substance abuse, to improve family literacy skills, and to increase the employability of the participants to improve their ability to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency.

Male Involvement Program: (Back to top)

The principal objective of this program is to increase the participation of fathers and other significant males in Head Start and the lives of their children. The project is also designed to address issues such as parenting skills, parental involvement, and effective communication as it pertains to males. Another goal is to facilitate opportunities for mentoring and personal growth by and between male family members and Head Start children.