Child Start Early Childhood Programs

Child Start Early Childhood Programs offers Head Start Preschool, Early Head Start, Child Care Partnerships, State Preschool, General Child Care, and Raising A Reader programs. The programs include center-based and home-based options, contracted family child care homes and private child care centers, and a wrap-around model that combines Head Start or Early Head Start services with State Preschool and General Child Care. The organization also provides the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) parenting education program.

• Ages: 0–5 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 7:30AM–4:00PM

Child Start has been providing early childhood education and family development services to approximately 1,000 children annually since 1965. The mission of Child Start is to support the education, social and emotional development of children ages 0–5 by providing high quality, comprehensive and family-focused early childhood services in partnership with the community. Child Start provides school readiness and family support services to approximately 1,000 children across Napa and Solano Counties in its Head Start, Early Head Start, Child Care Partnerships, State Preschool and General Child Care programs.

The Head Start Preschool program prepares children for school in a center-based setting that supports their readiness for kindergarten. The Early Head Start program focuses on building strong partnerships between staff and parents to support children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, with infants and toddlers served through a combination of center-based and home-based options. The Child Care Partnership program works with licensed child care centers and family child care homes in Napa and Solano Counties to improve the quality and effectiveness of care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The State Preschool program serves children ages 3 to 5 in a structured learning environment and uses a wrap-around model with Head Start services. The General Child Care program serves infants and toddlers through a center-based wrap-around model with Early Head Start services. The Raising A Reader program serves children ages 0–5 and focuses on reading and sharing books from infancy through age five to prepare them for kindergarten and support lifelong learning.

Child Start works hand-in-hand with community services to support low-income families and has led several initiatives to benefit and improve the overall wellbeing of children and families. Child Start is the administrator for the national Raising A Reader program through funding from the Napa Valley Community Foundation and the First 5 Commission of Napa County, with support from the Napa County Office of Education. In 2001, Child Start became the third agency in California to administer the Raising A Reader program, and in 2016 it became one of the first agencies in the country to be funded for Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships.

The leadership team includes Juan Cisneros as Executive Director, Susan Smith as Deputy Director, Esmeralda Salinas as the contact for Employment Opportunities, Amanda Maguire as the contact for Verification of Employment, and April as Program Operations Director for Child Care Partnerships. One Head Start alum, Diana, shared that being around many friends and having Maestra Irene made a big impact in her life. A Head Start parent, Maria, described Child Start as a blessing for her family and said her daughter is now excited and ready to start kindergarten because of the nurturing environment in the Head Start program. An Early Head Start parent, Jessica, said the Early Head Start Home Visiting program was a game changer for her family and that her home visitor guided her every step of the way, helping her feel more confident as a parent.

Last updated May 11, 2026.