Home Visits and Home-Base Socializations

Policy Number: HS-FP 1304.40i / Effective Date: / Relates to: CFR#1304.40i; CFR#1306.33
Revision Date: 11/12/2007; 9/9/13 / References: CFR 1306.32b / References: CFR1306.33; CFR #1305.8 Attachment for Information Memorandum ACYF-IM-HS-00-22

SUBJECT: Parent involvement in home visits (and socializations for home-based programs)

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE:ATCAA Early Head Start and Head Start staff will encourage parents to participate and be actively involved in home visits, and in home-based programs, socializations.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:

Center-Based Home Visits

Home visits will be conducted by Teachers, and other designated staff, to determine families’educational and social needs, and to discuss the children's developmental progress with their parents.

ATCAA Head Start and Early Head Start programs do not require parents to take part in home visits as a condition of their child's participation in the program.

Teachers or Family Advocates will explain the advantage of home visits to parents during program orientations. Home visits provide opportunities for:

  • Making connections between the home and program settings.
  • Learning more about parent-child interactions.
  • Developing positive relationships, which give staff and parents a chance to get to know each other.
  • Identifying learning opportunities in the home environment.
  • Identifying parenting techniques that can be generalized to other children in the family.
  • Focusing individualized attention on the family's strengths, interests, and goals.

During the program year, teachers are required to make two visits to the home of each child in addition to the two parent/teacher conferences teachers have with parents.

  • Teachers will schedule an initial home visit within2 weeks of the child's start date, if the family is willing.
  • The goals of the initial home visit are to :
  • Determine if the child has had any previous preschool or child care experience.
  • Introduce the teacher to the child and family.
  • Introduce the program to the family.
  • Share program objectives with the parents (attendance, routines, health checks and screenings, nutrition, volunteering, Parent Committees, Policy Council, developmental screenings, parent/teacher conferences, developmental assessments and goal setting).
  • Teachers will complete the Initial Home Visit form to document information from the first home visit.
  • Teachers willschedule a second home visit with parents in the spring to discuss parental observations, the progress made by the child in the program, the goals parents have for the child, transition plans and activities, and to check on progress made in completing Family Partnership Agreements.This visit gives teachers an opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with the parents after their child has participated in the program for several months.
  • Teachers will complete the 2nd Home Visit form to document information from the second home visit with families.
  • To accommodate parents’ schedules, staff will be flexible and schedule home visits at times that are mutually convenient for the parents and staff.
  • During home visits, staff will besensitive of families’ cultural backgrounds and values.
  • When appropriate, other direct services staff working with families may make or join home visits. (See CFR #1305.8 Attendance Policy for information about home visits related to children’s attendance.)
  • Staff will note the location and date of home visits in the Progress Notes in the child’s file.
  • If a parent does not want to hold a home visit in the family home, Family Advocates or Teachers will document the parents’ wishes in the Progress Notes in the child’s file.
  • To encourage parents to agree to home visits in the home, Teachers and Family Advocates will continue to work at building a trusting relationship with the family that may, over time, lead to permission to visit the home.
  • In accordance with parents’ wishes, or if a visit to the home presents a significant safety hazard for staff, home visits may take place at a Head Startor Early Head Start center or another safe location that affords privacy.

Home-base Home Visits and Socializations

Home Visits

The purpose of home visits in home-based programs is to promote the formation of secure parent/child relationships, help parents improve their parenting skills and to assist them in the use of the home as the child’s primary learning environment. Home Visitors will collaborate with parents, and use the home-base curriculum and elements in the home, to provide learning opportunities that will enhance children’s development.

  • Home Visitors are responsible for introducing, arranging and providing Head Start andEarly Head Start home-based services.
  • Home Visitors will maintain a maximum caseload of 10-12 Head Start and/or Early Head Start home-based families.
  • Due to the importance of focusing on the home environment in home-based programs, home visitsmust be conducted in the family’s home.
  • ATCAA Head Start home-basedprograms provide one home visit a week for each family with a minimum of 32 home visits per program year.
  • ATCAA Early Head Start home-based programs provide one home visit a week for each family year-round.
  • The program may schedule fewer than 52 home visits a year for Early Head Start home-based families in order to accommodate staff vacations and program training activities.
  • Home visits for families with newborns may be carried out at a reduced frequency and duration to respect the family’s need for rest and adjustment to new routines.
  • The length and frequency of home visits for pregnant women are based on the family’s needs and goals.
  • Home visits will be at least 1.5 hours long(except for pregnant women).
  • Home Visitors will make up home visitsthat are cancelled by staff to ensure the program meets the minimum number of home visits that are required during the program year.
  • Home Visitors must conduct home visits with the participation of the parents.
  • Home visitsmay not be conducted with child care providers, babysitters or other temporary caregivers.
  • Developmental screenings will be completed with all home-based children within 45 days of enrollment.
  • Child assessments will be completed with parent participation and on a schedule determined by the Education Manager. Goals for children’s development and learning will be established in partnership with parents and informed by children’s ongoing assessments.
  • Home visits will focus on the importance of parent/child relationships and to support parents as their children’s most important teachers. Home Visitors will also emphasize how everyday routines provide meaningful opportunities for children to build developmental skills.
  • Home Visitors will use the Growing Great Kids curriculum with parents during home visits and the content of home visits will be planned together by the Home Visitor and the parents.
  • Over the course of a month, home visits must contain elements from all of the Early Head Start or Head Start program components.
  • The curriculum, activities and materials utilized during home visits will support: the child’s cultural, ethnic and linguistic heritage and experiences; the goals parents have for the child’s development and learning; the experiences that will help the child realize those goals;and what parents and staff need to do to help the child achieve the goals.
  • All home visits will be documented on ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Home Visiting Forms and on the computer database.
  • The Home Visitor and parents will review the completed ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Home Visiting Form at the conclusion of each home visit.
  • Parents will sign the ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Home Visiting Form if they agree with the information listed on the form.
  • Home Visitors will inform parents that they do not have to sign the ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Home Visiting Form if they do not agree with the information listed on the form.
  • Completed ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Home Visiting Forms will be filed in the education section of the child’s file.
  • Information about each completed or canceled home visit will be entered in the computer database on the Child Data Sheet under the “case notes” and “visits” sections.
  • All home-based parents will receive current contact information for their Home Visitor and the Home Visitor supervisor.
  • Family Partnership Agreements for home-based families must include the specific roles of parents during home visits and socializations.

Socializations

Group socialization activities focus on children and parents and build on the experiences and goals that are addressed during home visits.Home Visitors and parents partner together to plan, implement and evaluate socializationexperiences.

Socialization experiencesare individualized to address the developmental level of each participating child and the goals, needs, and resources of each family.

  • The purpose of socializations for preschool children is to emphasize peer group interactions through age appropriate activities in a Head Start classroom, community facility or on a field trip. The children are supervised by the Home Visitors with parents observing at times and actively participating at other times.
  • The purpose of socializations for infants and toddlers is to support child development by strengthening parent-child relationships.
  • Socializations that include infants, toddlers and preschoolers must address the needs of each age group and support the purpose of socialization experiences for theindividual children and parents.
  • During socializations, parents will have the opportunity to:enjoy structured and unstructured learning activities with their children; have informal conversations with Home Visitors and other parents as they interact with their children; observe interactions between children, staff and other parents;and discuss relevant topics from Early Head Start and Head Start content areas in a group setting.
  • A minimum of two group socializations will be held each month.
  • Home Visitors will make up socializations that are cancelled by staff to ensure the program meets the minimum number of socializations that are required during the program year.
  • Socializations are designed to encourage parents to attendwith their children at least twice a month so they have the opportunity to observe, participate as volunteers or engage in activities specifically designed for parents.
  • Pregnant women are not required to attend socializations.
  • Socializations may not be conducted with child care providers, babysitters or other temporary caregivers.
  • Home Visitors must provide appropriate snacks and meals for each infant and child during socializations, including baby food and formula.
  • Socializations provide an opportunity for Home Visitors and parent to work together to plan menus and discuss nutritional issues.
  • Home Visitors must honor and respect families’ cultural, religious, ethical and personal food preferences when planning, preparing and serving food for socializations.
  • Appropriate toileting and diapering facilities must be available at all socializations, including diapers and wipes.
  • Home Visitors will complete the ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Socialization Plan and the Socialization Snack Planner when planning socializations.
  • The completed ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Socialization Plan will be submitted to the Home Visitors’ supervisor at least one week before the socialization is scheduled to take place.
  • The ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Socialization Plan must be approved and signed by the Home Visitors’ supervisor before the socialization takes place.
  • The Socialization Snack Planner will be submitted to the Food Services Coordinator at least one week before the socialization is scheduled to take place.
  • Purchase Order requests for socializations must be submitted to the Home Visitors’ supervisor and the Food Services Coordinator at least one week before the socialization is scheduled to take place.
  • During socializations, Home Visitors must complete, sign and date the Socialization Safety Checklist.
  • As parents arrive at socializations, Home Visitors will ask parents to sign in using the Socialization Attendance form.
  • After socializations, Home Visitors will use the Socialization Reflection Sheet to evaluate each socialization.
  • Completed ATCAA Head Start/Early Head Start Socialization Plans, Socialization Safety Checklists, Socialization Attendance forms and Socialization Reflection Sheets must be turned in at the beginning of each month in the monthly report folders.

Post-Partum Visits

ATCAA Early Head Start will ensure that mothers in the pregnant women’s program receive a visit from a qualified health care professional within two weeks of giving birth to ascertain the well-being of the mother and infant.

  • When an infant is born, the Home Visitor will notify the appropriate health care professional about the birth.
  • Within two weeks of the birth, the health care professional will set up a post-partum visit with the mother to assess and gatherinformation about:
  • The newborn’s breastfeeding/feeding and sleeping patterns.
  • The mother’s nutrition, emotional state and risk of post-partum depression.
  • Resources or referrals that the family needs.
  • The health care professional will document information from the home visit on the Two-Week Mother/Infant Health Assessment form.
  • A notation will be made in the infant’s file indicating that the home visit took place.

(For additional information, seethe Attachment for Information Memorandum ACYF-IM-HS-00-22)