HEAD-START - CHALLENGES AND TRAINING NEEDS

Head Start is the largest program providing comprehensive educational, health, and social services to young children and their families in p overty and is an important player in the early childhood service deliv ery system. This article summarizes the results of a needs assessment of Head Start programs in one region in the nation. Three important ch allenges were identified: (a) serving young children with emotional-be havior issues, (b) working with families, and (c) working with communi ty institutions. The paper focuses on a midwestern state, presenting i nterview information that confirms trends found in survey data from th e whole region. As collaboration between early childhood programs serv ing children with disabilities becomes more prevalent, the challenges facing Head Start are a concern for the early childhood community.