Skip to content
Little girl with facepaint on cheek

Child Care in the Greater Chicagoland and Suburbs

Start Early’s Early Head Start Network offers Head Start and Early Head Start services for children from birth to 5 years old and their families. Our programs provide quality child care, early learning support, nutrition advice, home visits, and health services.

Take the next step

Please review the below options to learn more about our Head Start and Early Head Start services, to check if you qualify and to enroll your child.

5 children gather in a half circle listening
Learn More

Learn more about our Head Start and Early Head Start services and see our full list of agencies.

About Our Agencies

A woman sits at a desk looking at a computer screen
See if You Qualify

Review our eligibility guidelines to confirm you qualify for our services.

View Eligibility Guidelines

A child holds up a puzzle piece, smiling, at the camera
Enroll Now

Complete our online application inquiry form to start your enrollment process.

Go to Form

About Our Agencies and Family Child Care Homes

Our Head Start and Early Head Start agencies and Family Child Care Homes offer:

  • Social and emotional learning: This type of learning helps children understand and manage their feelings. Our programs use social and emotional learning to create a safe and caring environment that supports teamwork and social skills.
  • Family support services: Our team members help families find medical and dental care, keep health records up to date, set parent-child goals, and provide other important resources and referrals.
  • Diverse learner assistance and support: If your child has different learning needs and you want extra services, we help you understand the Early Intervention eligibility and coordinate services through your local school district.
  • Leadership opportunities: Parents can get involved in leadership roles in our agency and network committees and councils.

Our Community-Based Agencies

Start Early, a federal Head Start grantee, manages or partners with agencies in Chicago, Suburban Cook County, and Lake County to provide quality early learning and care. See all our current agencies that are part of our network.

Enroll Now

Academy for Global Citizenship Logo
Academy for Global Citizenship

Service Areas: Chicago Southwest Side

Visit Website

Casa Central Logo
Casa Central

Service Areas: Chicago West Side

Visit Website

Brightpoint Logo
Brightpoint, Formerly Children's Home & Aid

Service Areas: Chicago South Side

Visit Website

Children's Place Association logo
Children's Place Association

Service Areas: Chicago West Side

Visit Website

Educare Chicago logo
Educare Chicago

Service Areas: Chicago South Side

Visit Website

El Hogar Del Nino logo
El Hogar Del Niño

Service Areas: Chicago West Side

Visit Website

Family Focus

Service Areas: Chicago South Side

Visit Website

First Step logo
First Step

Service Areas: South Suburban Cook County

Visit Website

Healthy Parents & Babies logo
Healthy Parents & Babies

Service Areas: Chicago South Side

Learn More

Lake County Early Learning Center

Service Areas: Northeast Lake County

Learn More

Marillac St. Vincent Family Services

Service Areas: Chicago North & West Side

Visit Website

One Hope United logo
One Hope United

Service Areas: Chicago South Side, Waukegan Township

Visit Website

SGA Youth and Family Services logo
SGA Youth & Family Services

Service Areas: Chicago South Side

Visit Website

Purple and blue YMCA logo
YMCA

Service Areas Chicago South, Southwest & West Side

Visit Website

Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements and Ages of Children Served

Eligibility for our Head Start and Early Head Start services is determined by the federal poverty guidelines. Children over 5 do not qualify for our programs. You must be pregnant to qualify for doula services but can be of any age and at any stage of pregnancy.

Federal Poverty Guidelines

Head Start & Early Head Start Application Form

Please note that this is not an application for CPS or CEL programming.

Start Early partners with Head Start and Early Head Start agencies and local Family Child Care Homes to deliver a continuum of services including doula, home visiting, home-based and center-based care in Chicago, Suburban Cook County and Lake County.

To get started in the enrollment process, please complete this initial contact form and someone will be in touch with you within 48 business hours.

Note: Eligibility for our Head Start and Early Head Start services is determined by the federal poverty guidelines. Children over 5 do not qualify for our programs.

By providing your zip code, we are able to share resources and program referrals relevant to your location.
It looks like you selected that you do not meet the necessary requirements according to the federal poverty guidelines, which means you are ineligible for our Early/Head Start Network services. We appreciate your interest but will not be able to process your inquiry. 
If you are unsure if you are eligible, please review our eligibility guidelines, or the federal poverty guidelines to help make your determination, or please reach out to our team at 773-496-5413 or email AColeman@StartEarly.org, to help in this determination. 
If you are not currently pregnant, but do have a child, or children, our Early/Head Start Network serves children and their families through age three for our home-based, home visiting services, and through age five for our center-based services. If you would like to learn more about our network of community-based agencies, please visit our Early/Head Start Network child care page for more information.
It looks like you selected that you are neither pregnant, nor have a child who is five and under that you would like to enroll, which means you are ineligible for our Early/Head Start Network services. We thank you for your interest and encourage you to apply in the future, should you qualify. 
If you are enrolling more than one child, please click "enroll another children" to include their information.

If you have additional questions, please call 773-496-5413 or email AColeman@StartEarly.org


Early learning programs icon

Start Early Programs

Learn more about our early learning programs in Illinois that support each aspect of your child’s development—starting before birth to age 5.

Learn More

Enroll your child icon

Enroll Now

To start enrollment, fill out this initial eligibility form. Once we receive your application, and if you qualify for services, we will connect you with an early learning program in your area.

Apply Now

Resources for families icon

Resources for Families

Discover educational activities and resources from Start Early experts to provide easy and engaging educational experiences with your child.

Learn More