Mission

To touch, heal, search and serve.  This is obtained by offering health, education and social services in Pulaski County through programs, which promote the growth and development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers and strengthens family members for their roles as parents and contributing members of the community.

Vision

To provide quality child development programming for all eligible children using the Head Start/Early Head Start Model that enables families, children and staff to be empowered by creating a caring, safe and healthy environment that encourages learning and wellness.

Philosophy

The UAMS Head Start / Early Head Start Program firmly believes that the lives of young children and their families can be enriched and strengthened by the quality of the services provided to them. Head Start provides a safe and nurturing environment and continuously works on preparing children for his / her next environment by promoting school readiness skills across all content areas.  The UAMS Head Start/Early Head Start Programs are designed to meet each child’s individual needs within the context of his / her culture and community. Head Start experience has shown that the needs of children and their families vary considerably from community to community. To serve these needs most effectively, programs must take into account community resources, the capabilities of local staff, as well as the developmental needs of the children served and the needs of their families to enhance their life skills as their child’s first teacher.

Why We Do What We Do

Building Adult Capabilities to Improve Child Outcomes: A Theory of Change