The Head Start program shares information with parents about their child’s development in a variety of ways, including:

• Parent-teacher conferences: Head Start teachers are required to meet with parents at least twice a year to discuss the child’s progress and development. These conferences are an opportunity for parents to learn more about their child’s strengths and weaknesses, and to get ideas on how to support their child’s learning and development at home.
• Developmental assessments: Head Start programs conduct developmental assessments on all children to identify any areas where the child may need additional support. The results of these assessments are shared with parents, and teachers work with parents to develop a plan to address any identified needs.
• Progress reports: Head Start programs typically provide parents with progress reports on a regular basis, such as quarterly or semi-annually. These reports provide parents with an update on the child’s progress in all areas of development, including social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and language development.
• Parent workshops and trainings: Head Start programs often offer workshops and trainings for parents on a variety of topics related to child development, such as early literacy, positive discipline, and nutrition. These workshops and trainings can help parents learn more about how to support their child’s development at home.
• Informal conversations: Head Start teachers are also encouraged to have informal conversations with parents about their child’s development. These conversations can take place during drop-off and pick-up times, at parent-teacher conferences, or at other times when teachers and parents are interacting.

The type of information that Head Start grantees gather from parents about their child’s development varies depending on the child’s age and developmental milestones. However, some common types of information that grantees gather include:

• The child’s medical history: Grantees need to know about any medical conditions that the child has, as well as any medications that the child is taking. This information is important for ensuring the child’s safety and well-being in the Head Start program.
• The child’s developmental history: Grantees want to know about the child’s developmental milestones, such as when the child first rolled over, sat up, crawled, walked, and talked. This information can help grantees to assess the child’s progress and to identify any areas where the child may need additional support.
• The child’s family background: Grantees want to know about the child’s family culture, language, and traditions. This information can help grantees to create a culturally responsive learning environment for the child.
• The child’s interests: Grantees want to know about the child’s interests and hobbies. This information can help grantees to plan activities and experiences that are engaging and meaningful for the child.

Grantees may gather information from parents through a variety of methods, such as parent surveys, interviews, and home visits. Grantees may also use developmental assessments to gather information about the child’s development.

Here are some examples of how Head Start programs share information with parents about their child’s development:

• A Head Start teacher might send a note home with a parent to share that their child is starting to learn new colors. The note might also include some activities that the parent can do with the child at home to reinforce this learning.
• A Head Start program might host a parent workshop on early literacy. At the workshop, parents might learn about the importance of reading to their children and how to create a literacy-rich environment at home.
• A Head Start teacher might meet with a parent at the end of the day to discuss their child’s social-emotional development. The teacher might share that the child is having some difficulty making friends. The teacher and parent can then work together to develop a plan to help the child develop their social skills.

It is important to note that Head Start programs are required to obtain parental consent before sharing any information about the child with anyone outside of the program. This includes information about the child’s development, as well as any other personal information.

How Head Start grantees use information from parents to support child development

Head Start grantees use the information they gather from parents about their child’s development to support the child’s learning and development in a variety of ways. For example, grantees may use this information to:

• Develop individualized education plans (IEPs) for children with disabilities.
• Plan activities and experiences that are appropriate for the child’s developmental level and interests.
• Provide parents with resources and support to help them promote their child’s development at home.
• Collaborate with other professionals, such as pediatricians and early intervention specialists, to ensure that the child is getting the support they need.

Head Start grantees also use information from parents to improve the program overall. For example, grantees may use this information to identify areas where the program can be improved, such as by developing