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7 Parents’ Guide to Selecting Quality Child Care | What types of Early Childhood Education Programs are available in New Mexico? Head Start follows federally established eligibility requirements to determine who qualifies for its programs. These qualifications are primarily based on family income, and certain families, such as those receiving public assistance or experiencing homelessness, automatically qualify. Additionally, children in foster care are also eligible. Each local Head Start program may have specific guidelines, but the federal income threshold typically determines basic eligibility. Head Start and Early Head Start • The Early Head Start Home-Based program serves children prenatal to 3 and is available for working or non-working families. • Center-Based Early Head Start programs serve children 6 weeks up to 3 years old and are designed for working families. • Center-Based Head Start programs serve children 3 years old to 5 years old and are designed for working families. • Both Early Head Start options support families to transition to Center Based Head Start when age appropriate, or for those in Home Based to transition to Center Based Early Head Start when needed for working purposes. • Head Start Programs are federally administered and can be tribally regulated or licensed by ECECD. New Mexico PreK (NM PreK) is a free program during the school year that delivers high-quality education in both community-based and school-based settings. NM PreK focuses on providing a fun, rewarding, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for children ages 3 and 4. Visit our web page www.nmececd.org/prek/ to learn more. Home Visiting - New Mexico provides a coordinated continuum of high-quality, community-driven, culturally and linguistically appropriate home visiting services that promote maternal, infant, and early childhood health, safety, development, and strong parent-child relationships. Home Visiting helps families to: gain knowledge regarding child development, connect with community support services, discover ways to support learning through play and interactions, receive emotional support through challenges associated with raising a child, and access support to get out of dangerous or unhealthy situations. For more information visit www.nmececd.org/ homevisiting/.