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 Early Head Start options, contracted family child care homes and private child care centers through Child Care Partnerships, a wrap-around State Preschool model with Head Start services, and a center-based wrap-around General Child Care model with Early Head Start services. Child Start also implements the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) parenting education program and provides school readiness and family support services to approximately 1,000 children each year through these programs.

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

Child Start’s mission is to support the education and social and emotional development of children ages 0–5 by providing high quality, comprehensive, family-focused early childhood services in partnership with the community. Since 1965, the organization has provided early childhood education and family development services to approximately 1,000 children annually and has been recognized as an early childhood education leader in Napa and Solano Counties. In 2000, Napa–Solano Head Start became Child Start, Inc., a nonprofit public benefit corporation with 501(c)(3) status, and in 2001 it became the third agency in California to administer the Raising A Reader program. In 2002, Child Start was awarded its first Early Head Start grant to serve 64 infants and toddlers, and in 2016 it became one of the first agencies in the country to be funded for Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships. The organization overhauled its Early/Head Start program through the Designation Renewal System in 2017 and launched a new era of leadership with a new executive team in 2022.

The leadership team includes Executive Director Juan Cisneros, Deputy Director Susan Smith, Program Operations Director for Child Care Partnerships April, Employment Opportunities contact Esmeralda Salinas, and Verification of Employment contact Amanda Maguire. Child Start works with community services to support low-income families and administers the national Raising A Reader program with funding from the Napa Valley Community Foundation and the First 5 Commission of Napa County, as well as support from the Napa County Office of Education. Child Start reports that in Spring 2024–2025, 88% of all preschoolers met or exceeded foundational expectations for social and emotional development, 86% of parents in programs reported learning effective strategies to support their child’s positive behavior, and 86% of children enrolled in Head Start completed a professional oral health examination.

Parent and alumni feedback includes comments from a Head Start alumna who described being around many friends and noted that Maestra Irene made a big impact in her life. A Head Start parent stated that Child Start was a blessing for their family and that their daughter is now excited to start kindergarten after being in the program. An Early Head Start parent shared that the Early Head Start Home Visiting program guided her as a first-time mother and that she feels more confident as a parent after participating.

Last updated May 14, 2026.