A healthy pregnancy has a lasting influence on a child's health and development. Help families get a head start during pregnancy. Discover resources your Head Start or Early Head Start (EHS) program can use to serve and engage expectant families. Topics include what to expect during pregnancy, infant care, and the transition to parenthood.
Perinatal depression is common, but it can be treated with screening and referrals for care. In this webinar recording, learn strategies to help all birthing parents access effective mental health care.
This webinar explores how Head Start services can intentionally function as a health equity intervention that contributes to closing racial disparities in health outcomes for birthing parents.
To support Early Head Start programs in providing and documenting services for expectant families, the Office of Head Start issued ACF-IM-HS-22-02. Watch this webinar for a review of the guidance.
Maternal deaths are increasing in the United States, but many are preventable. Learn about the steps that Head Start staff can take to help pregnant and postpartum people achieve healthier and safer pregnancies.
This webinar defines FASDs and helps Head Start and Early Head Start staff learn how to talk to families about the use of alcohol during pregnancy.
Explore ways to develop policy that informs a program's plan to offer ongoing and individualized support to families experiencing pregnancy loss.
Review the Head Start Program Performance Standards for Early Head Start programs related to enrolling pregnant women and expectant families.
When a baby is on the way, family needs become more complex. A network of community partners can help.
Early Head Start (EHS) staff engage pregnant mothers and expectant families as they prepare for their new baby. Connecting families to comprehensive prenatal care, such as nutrition education, oral health care, and mental health supports, is all part of the process. This includes engaging fathers from the beginning. Understanding what to expect during pregnancy and after the birth can help young families feel better prepared to face parenthood.
Explore and share these tip sheets and other resources for expectant families.