Home visiting connects expectant parents, new caregivers, and their young children with a support person, called a home visitor. The home visitor meets regularly with the family, develops a relationship with them, and supports them to achieve their goals and meet their needs. To reach the thousands of additional families who could benefit from…

Research shows relationships fuel early brain development and provide the foundation for lifelong health and success. Yet we also know that parenting a very young child places enormous physical and emotional demands on adults. Some families may not have what they need, or know where to turn for support if they want it, even when it is within reach…

Home-visit parenting programmes have been linked to positive developmental outcomes among participating children, yet few studies have explored the mechanisms behind this impact. We observe 40 home visits across seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, using an observational tool to assess visit content, coaching strategy, and the…

Early Head Start (EHS) is an evidence-based, federally funded, and community-based program with a two-generation approach to child development for children under age 3 and pregnant women in poverty. The mission of EHS is to support healthy prenatal outcomes; enhance the intellectual, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers; and…

The study analyzes the lexical properties of the linguistic context that children from marginalized urban neighborhoods from Buenos Aires, Argentina, are exposed to in the literacy situations generated by an at-home early literacy program. The analysis is focused on the comparison of the vocabulary that these children are exposed to daily with the…

Describes in-home family support programs for low-income and minority children and families. Family-centered programs attempt to link families to services that meet their educational, health and social needs. The community needs to be involved in program development if programs are to be truly helpful and supportive of families. (SH)

Developed to provide assistance in the building of an effective home-based program for Head Start children and their families, this handbook may serve as a blueprint for parent-focused home visits that assist the child and family to meet their special needs. Chapter one focuses on the home visitation model for providing services to families and…

In 1986, the Ounce of Prevention Fund undertook an ambitious project: creating and operating a family support program for young families with infants and toddlers in the Robert Taylor Homes public housing development in Chicago. The program was the outreach function of the Center for Successful Child Development (CSCD). The CSCD, a comprehensive,…

The goal of England's Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) is to support early communication and literacy skills and to support parents as their children's first educators through both home- and group-based programs. The program is currently offered to children under 5 years of age and their families in a disadvantaged area of Oxford. This…

A mother of a son with Down syndrome discusses how her family and child care providers work with him in natural environments to support his learning in daily activities. She urges other parents to keep trying until they find the right match that works for their family. (CR)

The goal of England's Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) is to support early communication and literacy skills and to support parents as their children's first educators through both home- and group-based programs. The program is currently offered to all children under 5 years of age and their families in a disadvantaged area of Oxford. This…

Kamehameha Schools' Prekindergarten Educational Program (PREP) was started in 1978 to prepare at-risk Hawaiian families and their children for success in school. PREP's direct services include: (1) parent-infant educational services, including home visits to help parents prepare for a new baby and later learn appropriate child development…

This article explores how providing early intervention in natural environments reinforces family-centered care, discusses benefits for all parties when therapy is provided within daily routines and settings, describes a decision-making process for embedding natural environments within intervention, and concludes by identifying challenges and…

Written from a multidisciplinary perspective, this handbook for home visitors provides functional, field test guidance techniques for working with parents and children from birth to 5 years. The guide offers techniques to enhance children's development in conjunction with educating and supporting families. Firsthand account of home visits…

This paper presents three case studies describing the experiences of rural families receiving early intervention (EI) services for a developmentally disabled infant/toddler. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (1997 amendments) provides funds for home-based, family-centered, transdisciplinary EI services. The case…