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Families do not have to live in a shelter or on the street to be considered homeless for Head Start eligibility purposes.
Federal rules use the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness. Children and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence can qualify, including some families temporarily staying with other people because they lost housing or cannot afford another place to live.
Children experiencing homelessness are categorically eligible for Head Start when the applicable definition is met.
If your housing situation is unstable, do not assume you are ineligible. Contact a local Head Start or Early Head Start program and explain your current living situation.
The definition can include families who are:
Whether a specific situation meets the definition depends on the facts.
For example, two families choosing to share a home permanently may not be experiencing homelessness. A family temporarily "doubled up" after eviction or loss of housing may be.
Head Start staff are responsible for determining eligibility under program rules.
Families sometimes hesitate to ask for help because they think homelessness only means sleeping outside.
That can delay access to services.
If you are moving between relatives' homes, staying temporarily with friends, living in a motel because you have nowhere else to go, or otherwise lack stable adequate housing, tell the local program exactly what is happening.
Staff can ask questions needed to determine whether your circumstances meet the federal definition.
Children who meet the applicable homelessness definition are categorically eligible for Head Start.
That means eligibility does not depend on proving that household income is below the usual income threshold.
However, categorical eligibility does not necessarily guarantee immediate enrollment. Local programs have a limited number of funded spaces and use selection procedures to prioritize among eligible applicants.
Ask the program whether there is currently an opening or waiting list.
Housing instability can make it difficult to keep track of:
Do not let missing paperwork stop you from contacting the program.
Explain what documents you have and what you cannot currently obtain.
Head Start programs have responsibilities related to enrollment and serving children experiencing homelessness and should work with families around documentation requirements consistent with federal rules.
The local program can tell you what it needs and what alternatives may be acceptable.
Search for Head Start or Early Head Start programs near your current location.
Because families experiencing homelessness may move frequently, tell staff where you are currently staying and whether another location would make services easier to access.
Head Start enrollment is handled locally.
Tell the program you want to apply and that your family is experiencing housing instability.
You do not need to diagnose your own legal status.
Explain:
Program staff can use that information to determine eligibility.
Provide what you reasonably have.
If documents are missing, tell staff rather than abandoning the application.
Even when a child is eligible, a program may have more eligible applicants than available spaces.
Ask:
Head Start is not a housing program and cannot promise housing placement.
However, family services staff may help connect enrolled families with community resources based on their goals and needs.
Depending on the community, referrals may include:
Local partnerships vary.
Moving can interrupt children's routines, health care, relationships, and early learning.
If your family moves after applying or enrolling, contact the program as soon as possible.
Ask whether:
Transitions between Early Head Start and Head Start Preschool can also involve new eligibility verification, so communicate with program staff early.
Families may feel uncomfortable discussing housing loss.
Head Start staff need enough information to determine eligibility, but conversations should be handled respectfully.
If you do not understand why a question is being asked, it is reasonable to ask how the information relates to eligibility.
Possibly. Temporarily sharing another person's housing because you lost housing, cannot afford housing, or have a similar hardship may meet the McKinney-Vento definition. The local Head Start program must evaluate your circumstances.
No.
It establishes categorical eligibility when the definition is met, but programs may still have more eligible children than funded spaces.
Contact the program anyway and explain your circumstances. Do not assume a traditional lease or utility bill is required in a homelessness situation.
Head Start is not a housing-placement program. Staff may be able to connect families with local community resources.