Building Brighter Futures

The YMCA of the East Bay provides comprehensive early child care and education programs that promote school success and family involvement. Head Start and Early Head Start services are available for children from birth to age 5, pregnant women and their families. We welcome all children with mild to severe disabilities.

Early Head Start is designed to benefit pregnant women and children from birth to age 3 who may need assistance. The program is designed to effectively respond to the unique needs of each child and family and to ensure that children who are qualified receive services.

We work together with families to enhance children's physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. We help parents meet their personal goals and enable them to be better caregivers and teachers to their children.

The YMCA Head Start program provides children ages 3 to 5 years old with high quality services designed to foster healthy development. Serving low-income children and their families in Berkeley and Albany, this comprehensive child development program provides health, nutrition, educational, social and emotional support. We work closely with children and their families to promote school-readiness and self-sufficiency.

Both our Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide:

  • Warm, safe, and nurturing environments for young children
  • Highly qualified staff with caring and supportive attitudes
  • Opportunities for families to participate in leadership and policy-making groups, make friends and build communities
  • Services that are respectful, comprehensive, and designed to meet the needs of children, families and the community

We also operate a California Department of Education child care program. Children can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. and stay as late as 5:00 p.m. To be eligible for extended child care hours, parent(s) in the home must be working, going to school, seeking employment, incapacitated or have an active Child Protective Services case.

 

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