The Trump administration is preparing a major overhaul of Head Start, the federal early-learning programme for children from low-income families. The changes could remove many national quality and service requirements, shifting greater responsibility to states and local providers; supporters of the programme say this could weaken a long-standing anti-poverty service.

Reported plans would eliminate or substantially revise standards covering curriculum, class sizes, health screenings, home visits and other services. Head Start has operated since the 1960s and serves hundreds of thousands of children, while the administration says deregulation would give providers greater flexibility to meet local needs.