Head Start and Early Head Start in Waukegan, IL

4 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Waukegan, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start

Maggie's Place

1605 N Berwick Blvd, Waukegan, IL 60085

Run by YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

OHU Waukegan Busy Bee

2115 S Ernie Krueger Cir, Waukegan, IL 60087

Run by Start Early

Head Start

One Hope United - Busy Bee

2115 S Emie Krueger, Waukegan, IL 60087

Run by YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

Start Early - Early Learning Waukegan

1411 S White Oak Dr, Waukegan, IL 60085

Run by Start Early

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 Waukegan

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Waukegan · Youth nonprofits in Waukegan · Illinois 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 The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings.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.