Social service agency to run Lawrence County Head Start

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County Social Services Inc. has been selected to provide Head Start services for the county.
Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused programs and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families has been searching for a new entity to take over the federally funded program since last year when the county Head Start board of directors disbanded because of financial problems.
Social Service officials are now working on taking over the program, a spokesman said. A news release sent out by the organization said they will continue to operate from three locations in Ellwood City, New Castle and the Villa Maria Center.
Social Services also will be collaborating with several area child care centers and implementing a home-based component for 10 to 12 eligible families.
Other plans call for increasing the number of full-time child care opportunities, providing better transportation for Head Start children and expanding services in Ellwood City, the release said.