The Pennsylvania Head Start Association

08/28/2026

💡 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘.

👩🏽‍🏫 Head Start Preschool happens primarily in classroom settings, but the relationship with families extends far beyond the classroom through regular home visits and ongoing family engagement.

👶 Early Head Start can look different. Depending on the program and community, services may be provided through a center-based or home-based model.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞: 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴.

📊 In one large long-term study, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝟐𝟑% 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟕% 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

💥 This is what happens when 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

📚 Research: Bailey, Sun & Timpe (2021), American Economic Review | https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20181801

08/28/2026

💜 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲

If national statistics are reflected in your local Head Start program, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 (what you think of as addiction).

Treatment for SUD is effective and available throughout Pennsylvania; 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫!

Often, children are a big motivator for parents to change their behavior and engage in recovery. I’ve worked with parents in recovery for many years and have found that the challenges of being a recovering parent are many, but with the support of caring professionals in Head Start, and other child-serving programs, 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞.

🌱 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲

You may not always know if a parent of a child in your program is in recovery from SUD — and all parents need support and understanding — but you can do a lot to encourage and help parents in recovery.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲:

❤️ 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧.
Remember that each parent is a human being and while substance use may have caused some to make poor choices, they love their kids.

🤝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝.
Common ground communication is important; we all care about our children. Being smug and/or condescending creates a barrier. Promote dignity and help to empower us to change.

🌿 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥.
What works for one person does not always work for another. Don’t paint all recovering parents with the same brush.

💬 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
Help parents to become accountable. Don’t use their honesty to punish. Hold yourself accountable too. Be realistic and direct, not confrontational.

🛡️ 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲.
Expect that you will be lied to at some point. Honesty is often much scarier than the truth. Lying is at times a deep protective action.

✨ 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲.
Believe in our ability to get well and encourage us to believe that we can get and stay clean and sober.

🌱 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬.
Realize that it took many years to get sick; it is going to be a process getting better. Encourage the changes you see and point out the growth you notice; many times recovering parents are blind to the progress they have made and tend to get stuck. You may be the only positive person in their life.

💛 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞.
Avoid judging, shaming and guilt-filled messages.

👨‍👩‍👧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Treat them as you would hope someone would treat your own children or family in this situation.

📚 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞?
To learn more about how Substance Use Disorder impacts parenting and children, and how to help and support parents in recovery, attend or schedule a training session.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞:
𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐌𝐒𝐀, 𝐂𝐀𝐀𝐏, 𝐂𝐅𝐑𝐒
📞 717-982-9676
✉️ [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 [www.familyrecoverytraining.com](http://www.familyrecoverytraining.com)

08/27/2026

📣 Community Partners — We Need You at the Table

Head Start does not exist in isolation. Our programs are strengthened every day by community partners who understand the impact Head Start has on children, families, and communities across Pennsylvania.

On September 23 at 10:00 a.m., the Pennsylvania Head Start Association is hosting a special conversation specifically for community partners around the recently released NPRM impacting Head Start.

💬 We will talk through what is happening, why it matters, and how community partners can lend their voices during this important moment.

You do not have to work directly in Head Start to care about what happens to Head Start. If your work intersects with children, families, education, health, behavioral health, housing, food access, workforce development, or community wellbeing, your perspective matters.

🗓️ September 23 | 10:00 a.m.
💻 Virtual via Zoom

Join us to learn more, ask questions, and explore how community partners can stand alongside Head Start programs and families across Pennsylvania.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FjfWm-oHTAiJ1uR3bQ9g1w

08/26/2026

Program Spotlight:
Chester County Intermediate Unit🔦🌈

✨ Learning through light, creativity, and exploration at Warwick Cedarville Center!

During a recent light study, children had the opportunity to explore the many ways light shows up in their everyday lives. In the first photos, children are using paint to represent what the lights around their homes look like, connecting their classroom learning to familiar experiences and encouraging them to think closely about the world around them. 🎨🏡

The exploration continued with flashlights, where children experimented with what happens when light is blocked, redirected, or changed. They observed shadows, noticed differences in brightness, and explored how the color of light can change depending on what is placed in front of it. 🔦🌈

These hands-on experiences give children the space to ask questions, make predictions, test their ideas, and learn through discovery. What may look like simple play is also building early science skills, creativity, problem-solving, language, and curiosity.

We love seeing children take the lead in their learning and turn everyday experiences into opportunities to investigate, create, and wonder. 💡💛

08/24/2026

Are you connected to Head Start? 💙

Maybe you were a Head Start student. Maybe you’re a parent, family member, current or former staff member, or a community partner who has seen firsthand what Head Start means to children and families.

Maybe you’re still connected today — or maybe Head Start was part of your story years ago.

If you believe in advocating for the life-changing impact Head Start can have on children, families, and communities, there’s something simple you can do today to help make a difference.

Your experience matters. Your connection matters. And your voice can help others understand why Head Start matters.

👇 Comment “HEAD START” below and I’ll send you how to get involved.

08/21/2026

🍉 Summer Fun with CCIU’s EHS-CCP Program!

The Parent Committee for the CCIU EHS-CCP program in West Chester recently hosted a Summer Fun Event for children and families!

💦 Families enjoyed the water table
🎨 Children had fun with face painting
🍉 Students created their own watermelon fans using paper plates, popsicle sticks, and paint

The event was a wonderful example of family engagement in action. Even two weeks later, children are still talking about their watermelon fans on hot days and asking when face painting can come back!

💙 We love seeing families, staff, and children creating memories together and building connections that last beyond the event itself.

08/17/2026

🗳️ Okay, The Association genuinely want to know… are you registered to vote?

Not “I think I am.”
Not “I voted last time.”
Like… have you actually checked recently? 👀

Take 30 seconds and check your voter registration here!

Then come back and tell us:

✅ YES — I’m registered!
📝 NO — I need to take care of it.
🤔 I honestly wasn’t sure until I checked.

We are genuinely curious how many people actually know their current registration status. 👇

It takes less than 30 seconds to check your registration status with our free 50-state tool. And if you're not registered, we'll help you take care of that too. Fast, free, secure, non-partisan.

08/14/2026

🚨 Head Start needs your voice.

Proposed changes could roll back important quality, health, and safety standards that help protect children and strengthen Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

📣 Take action today. A letter has already been drafted — it takes just a couple of minutes to send it to your state and federal legislators.

Every voice matters. Every message helps.

👉 Take action here: https://tryingtogether.quorum.us/campaign/167950/?embedded=true/

08/14/2026

📣 Head Start is facing significant proposed federal changes — and Pennsylvania programs are already feeling the weight of what they could mean.

WITF highlights the concerns, the impact, and why Head Start voices matter right now.

🔗 Read the full story:

Central Pennsylvania’s Head Start programs plan to continue providing early childhood education and other services to low-income families despite proposed changes from the Trump administration that could significantly reshape the federally funded program.

08/13/2026

🚨 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘: 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

Head Start has served more than 40 million children over the past 60 years, providing critical early childhood services to families across the country.

Today, Head Start voices nationwide are coming together to speak up.

Proposed changes from HHS could:

❌ Reduce access to Head Start services
❌ Increase classroom sizes
❌ Weaken protections for children with disabilities
❌ Lower teacher qualification standards

📣 Take action today: Contact your members of Congress and ask them to call on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to rescind these proposed changes.

🔗 https://actionnetwork.org/call_campaigns/tell-congress-to-stop-rfks-attack-on-head-start/

Take part from wherever you are. Every call helps make the collective Head Start voice stronger.



💬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝! 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚!