Head Start/Early Head Start

Thriving Kids offers free support for expectant parents, caregivers, legal guardians, and parents of children 0-5 yrs of age. Home visits focus on the parent-child relationship to foster optimal development and social-emotional health, and on assisting families with community resources. Thriving Kids serves prenatal to age 5 in Dona Ana and Otero Counties, with no first-time parent requirements. They also list community events and resources on their Facebook page (listed above).

The Native American Professional Parent Resources, Inc. (NAPPR) Early Head Start programs provide in-home visiting support services and child development services for infants and toddlers under age 3 and expectant parents through two distinct programs--Home-Based Creative Curriculum and an Early Head Start Center. Home-based services are offered for families with infants and toddlers in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties. The Early Head Start Center is located in Albuquerque. Under NAPPR’s Home-Based program, staff visit expectant mothers and families with infants and toddlers within Bernalillo and Sandoval counties. Using Creative Curriculum, the program provides educational activities, parenting resources, and bimonthly socialization. NAPPR’s Early Head Start Center provides child development services for 24 children ages 12 months through 36 months. The child care center follows a 1-teacher-to-4-children ratio, and group sizes never exceed eight children in a classroom. The Early Head Start Center is open year-around.

The City of Albuquerque Albuquerque division of Child and Family Development Centers provides Early Head Start Program for children from 0 to 3-years-old, Comprehensive Child Development and Family Support Services such as High Quality Care & Education, Home-Based and Center-Based Services, Parenting Skills, Home-Visiting, Referrals, and Food Services. They also offer Preschool & NM Pre-K for children from 3 to 5-years-old with Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum, Early Literacy, School Readiness, Full Day Programs, and different start dates for 3, 4, and 5 year old's for PreK.

The Early Childhood Education and Care Department was launched on July 1, 2020. Their mission is to optimize the health, development, education, and well-being of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers through a family-driven, equitable, community-based system of high-quality prenatal and early childhood programs and services. They organize a range of programs including: child care services, early childhood special education, Early Head Start and Head Start, Families FIRST program, Family Infant Toddler (FIT) program, the family nutrition bureau, home visiting programs, and NM PreK.

Ensuenos y Los Angelitos provides early childhood and adult services. Adult Services include Living Supports - Family Living, Community Integrated Employment, Customized Community Supports, Living Supports - Supported Living, and Respite Services. Child Services include Special Instruction & Developmentally Appropriate Activities, Service Coordination, Speech & Language Therapy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Vision Services, Hearing Services, Nutrition Services, Social Work Services, Psychological Services, Family Education & Counseling, Medical-Related to Diagnosis & Evaluation, Nursing Services, Health Services, Transportation Service, Respite, and Center-Based Playgroup - Ages 2-3 years of age.

The Navajo Nation Growing In Beauty program (GIB) meets the needs of Navajo children with delays or disabilities from birth to five years of age while honoring the unique culture and language of the Navajo people. The Growing In Beauty staff provides service coordination and direct services. Services include receiving and processing referrals from pediatricians, health care professionals, and other service providers. Providing developmental assessment and evaluation for at-risk children along with GIB Partnership Program staff from Northern Arizona University-Institute of Human Development (NAU IHD), St. Michaels Association for Special Education (SMASE), and University New Mexico Center for Development and Disability (UNM CDD). GIB also makes referrals and ensuring that support and services are provided via a Team-Based approach by Early Intervention specialists, provides transition supports into appropriate early childhood settings or preschool programs, ongoing developmental screening and family support, and advocacy and training for families. Hozhóogo Jinoosééł -Growing In Beauty’s mission is to assure that all Diné children with a developmental delay or disability, between the ages of birth to five, grow into beautiful individuals. For other locations for please visit: http://www.nnosers.org/contact-us.aspx

OHS manages grant funding and oversees local agencies providing Head Start services. Head Start promotes school readiness of children under 5 from low-income families through education, health, social and other services.
Find a Head Start program by using the Head Start locator.