Northcoast Children’s Services is a private non-profit corporation serving low income pregnant women and families with children from birth to kindergarten age. One of the largest nonprofits in California’s rural northern coastal area, NCS operates federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs, California State Preschool, General Child Care and Development Programs, and the California Child Care Food Service program. NCS employs over 280 people and provides services to approximately 1,000 children and their families in 30 separate locations throughout the Humboldt and Del Norte Counties each year.
NCS programs work in partnership with parents to promote healthy child development with goals for school readiness in the areas of language and literacy development, cognitive development, large and small motor development, social emotional development and health and safety knowledge.
In addition to educational services, Head Start and Early Head Start programs partner with families to help them reach their goals for family needs, wellness, safety, life skills, and parenting.
NCS believes that parents are children’s first and most important teacher throughout their lives. Parent Involvement is an integral piece of our program. Parents are encouraged to participate in their child and family’s development through parent teacher conferences and home visits, parent meetings and group activities, volunteering, and program governance.
Northcoast Children’s Services has active partnerships, which work to provide seamless, collaborative services to low-income pregnant women, children from birth to age five and their families. These partnerships include College of the Redwoods, local and county school districts, county and State human service agencies and commissions, local hospitals and medical facilities, and local non-profit and private agencies and providers.
Significant long term research demonstrating “evidence based practice” indicate that families enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start make great strides in nurturing their children, fulfilling family basic needs and establishing and meeting personal and family goals. Enrolled children demonstrate significant gains in healthy social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development and the achievement of social competence.