Playgrounds are a fundamental part of the childhood experience and should be safe havens for children. The resources on this page will give designers, directors, and members of an agency's facility planning team technical safety guidelines for designing, constructing and maintaining playgrounds.
The Pro-Children’s Act of 2001 imposes restrictions on smoking in facilities where federally-funded children’s services are provided. Grantees that are subject to these requirements will find this information useful.
A program’s physical environment supports the quality and quantity of the services it provides. Browse facilities resources that help programs create environments that are conducive to learning.
Having adequate, and even inspiring, facilities for center-based early care and education services is a goal for all leaders. Financing and Budgeting for Early Care and Education Facilities provides programs information about how to go about budgeting for and finding sources of funds around purchasing and maintaining facilities. This guide supports leaders to be innovative in acquiring unique sources of funds to make improvements to existing facilities or to build new ones. It outlines methods for budgeting for capital improvements. The guide also offers strategies for using community experts to support facilities development. Note: This resource is under review.
Facilities and Learning Environments reinforce the importance of designing and maintaining all facilities so they actively support children and families in both indoor and outdoor environments. Transportation supports the safe and efficient movement of children from one point to another.
This form may be used to fulfill the OHS requirement that the grantee governing body submit a signed certification of compliance with all applicable health and safety requirements within 75 calendar days of the start of the program or school year, or within 75 calendar days of the start of the five year project period when the five year project period begins during the program or school year. The form must be submitted to OHS in the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES) immediately thereafter.
The signatures on this form attest that an agency has completed a health and safety screening of each site where children receive Head Start and Early Head Start services, consistent with the terms and conditions of the Notice of Award (NoA).
The United States Access Board is an independent federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Head Start staff may use this website to access current and relevant information regarding facilities and site design planning.