Early Head Start

Early Head Start, Childcare, YWCA Canton

In 2015, The YWCA was awarded a five-year renewable Early Head Start Child Care Partnership grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. With this grant, the YWCA is able to provide year-round child care for children ages 6 weeks to 3 years (including those with disabilities) whose families are homeless and/or live below the poverty line. We are also able to provide comprehensive child development and family support services as part of this program. In March of 2019, the YWCA was awarded an additional 1M 5-year combined grant for Early Head Start Childcare Partnership and Early Head Start Expansionservices. This allows for the YWCA to serve an additional 68 children in Stark County.

Early Head Start Program Services

  • Researched based curriculum and assessments

    Highly qualified teachers

    Nutritious meals

    Disabilities services

    School readiness screenings

    Parent inclusion in child’s individualized teaching plans, etc.

    Transportation

  • Health services include child health screenings, oral health practice education and resources, child nutrition, etc.

    Health screening includes recording height and weight, vision and hearing assessment, lead and hemoglobin testing and dental screening. The nurses from the health department also review immunization records and will advise parents if additional shots are needed.

  • Community resources from partnered organizations for services for children with disabilities, early childhood education and other education programs

    As part of the comprehensive services provided for children and families in the Early Head Start program, the Canton City Health Department and the YWCA Early Head Start program are working together to perform health screenings on children 6 weeks to 3 years of age enrolled in the EHS program.

  • A child is eligible if any of the below apply:

    The family’s income is equal to or below the poverty line

    The family is eligible for, or, in the absence of child care, would be potentially eligible for public assistance; including TANF child-only payments

    The child is homeless, as defined in part 1305

    The child is in foster care

Locations

We offer locations throughout Stark County

  • 231 6th St. NE Canton, OH 44702 | 330-453-7644

  • 1659 W. State St. Alliance, OH 44601 | 330-823-3118

  • 2213 14th St, NE Canton, OH 44705 | 330-452-8376

  • 2446 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, OH 44646 | 330-830-1400

  • 702 Raff Rd. SW Canton, OH 44710 | 330-477-6749

  • 205 S. Union Ave. Alliance, OH 44601 | 330-821-1377

Early Head Start Enrollment

The YWCA Early Head Start is currently enrolling children aged 6 weeks to 3 years including infants and toddlers with disabilities. Enrolled children and families are provided with classroom environments that encourage age appropriate exploration, developmentally appropriate lessons, developmental screenings upon enrollment, as needed, and much more!

High quality child care is available through Early Head Start for children in Stark County through six child care partner sites and two in-home family providers in Stark County including Alliance, Canton and Massillon.