UCS – Head Start Provides Needed Supports For Children And Families

(Bennington, VT) On Friday, April 11^th, USA Today reported that President Trump’s upcoming budget will propose the full-scale elimination of the nearly 60-year-old, highly effective Head Start program in alignment with the Project 2025 blueprint. This proposal follows the shuttering of half of the federal Office of Head Start regional offices on April 1^st, including our local office in Boston. Though the budget has not yet been released, this potential proposed elimination would be catastrophic for working families, vulnerable young children, and Head Start employees.

More than 1,200 Vermont children will lose access to early learning, nutrition, health, dental, and developmental screenings if Head Start is eliminated. Research demonstrates that children enrolled in Head Start programs are more likely to complete high school, more likely to enroll in and complete college, less likely to be arrested, less likely to enter foster care, and less likely to experience poor health when compared to similar peers.

Let’s Grow Kids estimates that 10,615 childcare slots need to be added in Vermont for supply to meet demand, as stated in their 2024 Stalled at the Start Report. Reducing the present supply by over 1,000 slots will not help that need. Losing Head Start would mean lost jobs – not just for teachers and staff – but also for working families who rely on this support system.

The “president’s budget proposal” is simply that, a proposal, and it must go through Congress and the appropriations process before it becomes finalized. While we are confident that Congress will maintain our nation’s commitment to children and families who are at risk, we hope President Trump and the administration will change course and stand up for working parents by backing the Head Start programs that allow them to pursue employment and/or schooling. Every U.S. President over the last 60 years, including President Trump in his first term, supported children and families with low incomes by funding and strengthening Head Start.

“We remain deeply committed to supporting children and families by providing the highest quality Head Start and Early Head Start services,” said Lorna Mattern, Executive Director of UCS which oversees Head Start and Early Head Start of Bennington County. “These are challenging and uncertain times, and we need your help. Please reach out to your Senators and Representatives and urge them to Take Action for Head Start.”

United Counseling Service provides outpatient counseling and addictions services, emergency mental health services, extensive rehabilitation services, home and school-based services, employment services for people recovering from mental illness or with developmental disabilities and Early Childhood Services including Head Start and Early Head Start.

Photo: Tammy Gosley, 2023 Early Childhood Teacher of the Year playing with a student at Head Start in North Bennington.