The
Head Start Program is a program of the
United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive
early childhood education, health,
nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. The program's services and resources are designed to foster stable family relationships, enhance children's physical and
emotional well-being, and establish an environment to develop strong cognitive skills. The transition from
preschool to
elementary school imposes diverse developmental challenges that include requiring the children to engage successfully with their peers outside of the family network, adjust to the space of a classroom, and meet the expectations the school setting provides.