State Home Visiting Vision – revised August 2014

The Illinois home visiting system embraces the State’s early childhood vision of every child entering kindergarten safe, healthy, ready to succeed, and eager to learn. The Illinois home visiting system recognizes the home as the most influential learning environment in which to strengthen the parent-child relationship and help reach the child’s full potential. The overall goals of Illinois home visiting are to promote positive parenting and healthy child growth and development, and to prepare young children for school success.

The Illinois home visiting system consists of high-quality, intensive services, that:

1.  Promote parent-child attachment;

2.  Provide developmental screening, monitoring, and referrals; and

3.  Provide linkages to community resources and services.

The guiding principles for the Illinois home visiting system are:

  1. Continuum of Services -- Home visiting is an integral part of a continuum of services for families that is well-coordinated and integrated, and begins prenatally.
  2. Skilled Workforce -- As early childhood professionals, home visitors should be provided with appropriate professional development and compensation.
  3. Home visiting services are:
  4. Evidence-based – Home visiting programs use models and curricula whose effectiveness is supported by research.
  5. Culturally and linguistically responsive – Home visiting services respect, promote, and build on families’ cultural, racial, ethnic, and other backgrounds and experiences.
  6. Voluntary -- Families are free to choose whether or not to participate.
  7. Accessible – Home visiting services should be accessible statewide to all families who want these services.
  8. Targeted – In an environment of limited funding resources, home visiting services should target the children and families who are most at risk.
  9. Aligned -- Home visiting services are aligned with the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines (IELGs) and Illinois Early Learning and Developmental Standards (IELDS); and
  10. Outcome driven – The State is able to demonstrate outcomes related to maternal and child health, school readiness, and reduction of child abuse and neglect.