Head Start and Early Head Start in Santa Cruz, CA

3 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Santa Cruz, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Early Head Start

Branciforte

175 Benito Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Run by Encompass Community Services

Head Start and Early Head Start

Natural Bridges

255 Swift St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Run by Encompass Community Services

Head Start and Early Head Start

Natural Bridges Head Start/Early Head Start

255 Swift St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Run by CDI HS

Who can enroll

Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 (ask the center about its birthday cutoff date). Early Head Start serves pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3. Both are free for families who qualify.

Families usually qualify when household income is at or below the federal poverty guideline for their family size, or when the family gets public assistance such as TANF or SSI, the child is in foster care, or the family is experiencing homelessness. Programs may also enroll some children from families just above the guideline, and each program sets its own application steps and waitlist, so ask the center.

Official HHS poverty guidelines (current year) · Head Start's own center locator

Also in Santa Cruz

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Santa Cruz · Youth nonprofits in Santa Cruz · California program rules

Source: Head Start Service Location Dataset, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (CSV file), file dated November 8, 2026. The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings. Locations the program lists as closed are left out. Home-based locations show city and ZIP code only. A listing is not an endorsement.