Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served more than 18 million children. Local programs are allowed to serve up to 10 percent of the children above the poverty line. There are approximately 24 million school-age children with parents in the workforce or pursuing education. Experts estimate that nearly 5 million school-age children spend time as latchkey kids without adult supervision during a typical week. School-age children are likely to spend time in many different care arrangements.
Youth are at greatest risk of violence after the regular school day.
The most frequently mentioned barrier to participation is the parents' inability to pay the tuition and fees charged by programs. Other barriers include availability, quality of activities, inadequate facilities, transportation, high staff turnover, hours of the program and lack of resources. The study showed homicide rates are five times higher, suicide rates are double and firearm death rates are 12 times higher in the United States than in the other countries. The CDC compared childhood death statistics with figures from 25 other countries that had similar economies and a population of at least 1 million. Even if firearms-related homicides were excluded, the United States had a homicide rate for children almost four times the other countries' rate, the CDC said.