CAPSLO Early Education and Child Care Programs (Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, State Preschool)

CAPSLO Early Education and Child Care Programs (Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, State Preschool) include quality early learning opportunities and children’s activities at the Early Education and Child Care Centers. Health and Nutrition Specialists teach good hygiene and healthy eating as part of the program. CAPSLO child care centers have kitchens onsite to support the meal services provided to children in the program.

• Ages: 0–5 years old
• Price: The CAPSLO Early Education and Child Care Programs provide high quality, no-cost child care, early childhood education, and preschool services to income eligible families. Children in child care centers receive three nutritious meals a day depending on each child’s schedule – breakfast, lunch and snack. All meals are supplied for free with funding by the USDA.

CAPSLO has been providing Head Start programs continuously since 1966. Programs that make up CAPSLO’s Early Education and Child Care include Early Head Start, Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and State Preschool. The programs serve families with children from birth through age five, with some additional services for pregnant women. Head Start is described as more than just a daycare or preschool program and includes services that strengthen the entire family and address the developmental needs and health of the whole child. Children enrolled in Head Start receive services that support their physical and emotional health, and parents are provided with support to be lifelong champions for their children’s health and wellbeing.

Curricula in these programs are child-centered and cover all areas of development. Activities are individualized based on each child’s needs and interests and promote development in Language, Literacy, Mathematics, Emotional Development, Science, Creative Arts, Approaches to Learning, and Physical Health and Well Being. Health and Nutrition Specialists assist children and staff in teaching good hygiene, healthy eating, and other behaviors and skills for lifelong health. The program assists families with finding a medical and dental “home” or primary care provider and helps with transportation, translation, and costs related to accessing health services. It also provides assistance with staying up to date on immunizations, yearly physicals, dental screenings, TB tests, lead assessments, and nutrition assessments.

A Behavioral Health team made up of a Manager, Coordinators, and Specialists supports the program, and each county has a licensed Behavioral Health professional on contract who visits the centers regularly and is available to meet with parents for family counseling. At least 10% of enrollment is reserved for children who have been diagnosed with an impairment. Children with special needs are able to participate in all aspects of the program in an inclusive classroom or family child care provider environment, and a technical assistance team of coordinators and specialists supports staff and parents in serving these children. Parents, caregivers, and family members are offered collaborative and strengths-based program services to support family well-being and to achieve family goals.

Children in child care centers receive up to three nutritious meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and snack) depending on each child’s schedule, and all meals are supplied for free with funding by the USDA. Children in day care homes receive meals onsite through their provider, with meal program management through the County child care resource and referral. Children from birth to age five from families with low income, according to the Federal Poverty Guidelines, are eligible for Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start services. Children in foster care, homeless children, and children from families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income are categorically eligible for these services regardless of income. Head Start programs may enroll up to 10 percent of children from families with incomes above the Poverty Guidelines, and may also serve up to an additional 35 percent of children from families whose incomes are above the Poverty Guidelines but below 130 percent of the poverty line if the program has met the needs of eligible families in the community. Pregnant women may be eligible for additional Early Head Start or Migrant and Seasonal Head Start services, and families whose primary income is from agricultural production or harvesting may be eligible for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs.

Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County states that it addresses the causes of poverty and empowers low-income people to achieve self-sufficiency through community-based collaborations and programs. Staff, parents, and community partners work together in these programs to achieve educational goals and assist children of all ages and abilities in meeting their potential. CAPSLO offers volunteer opportunities that include meal serving and preparation at 40 Prado Homeless Services, companionship with adults with Alzheimer’s at the Adult Day Center, and participating in children’s activities at the Early Education and Child Care Centers. These programs are part of a broader national network of over one thousand Community Action Agencies that serve over 7 million families, totaling 16 million low-income persons each year, and these agencies mobilize thousands of volunteers to enact positive change in their communities.

Last updated January 8, 2026.