PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: Home visits are valuable in building
respectful relationships with parents and in developing a broad understanding of
each child.
Home visits are conducted by Family Advocates or Teachers and Home
Visitors (in home base programs) to determine the family's educational needs,
its social needs, and to discuss the child's progress with parents. ATCAA
Head Start does not require parents to permit home visits as a condition of a
child's participation.
All staff follow basic safety guidelines and precautions during home
visits.
Teachers or Family Advocates and Home Visitors explain to parents the
advantage of home visits during Parent Orientation.
- Home visits show staff and parents the connections between the home
and program settings.
- Home visits allow staff to learn more about parent-child
interactions.
- Home visits allow staff and parents to get to know each other.
- Home visits allow staff and parents to identify learning
opportunities in the home environment.
- Home visits give staff and parents a chance to identify parenting
techniques that can be generalized to other children in the family.
- Home visits allow staff to focus individualized attention on the
family's strengths, interests, and goals.
In accord with the requirements of
CFR 1306.32b, Family Advocates and
teachers must document instances when parents will not permit home visits.
- Teachers and Family Advocates continue to work at building a trusting
relationship that may, over time, lead to permission to visit the home.
- Staff reflects sensitivity to parent's cultural preferences.
- Staff offers scheduling flexibility to accommodate parent's
schedules.
- Teachers and Family Advocates may agree to meet parents at an
alternative location, as outlined in
CFR #1306.33a and
CFR #1306.34.
Family services workers schedule the
Initial Home Visit within 120 days of
the child's start date, If the family is willing.
Family Advocates begin the process of gathering information for the
Family Portfolio.
Family Advocates schedule a
Second Home Visit in the Spring to discuss
with parents the progress made in the
Family Partnership Agreement and to
discuss any transition needs of the child.
The child's teacher in a center base program makes no less than two home
visits per program year, unless the parents will not permit such visits.
Teachers schedule an
initial home visit to discuss Head Start philosophy
and staff/parent expectations.
Teachers schedule a
second home visit in the Spring to evaluate the
child's progress and to determine any transition needs.
Other direct service staff working with the family may make or join home
visits, as appropriate.
Parents may ask that the home visits be conducted outside the home.
Staff understand that visits outside the home are appropriate only under
exceptional circumstances.
Home visits may be conducted outside the home in cases where a visit to
the home presents a significant safety hazard.
Home visits may take place at the nearest Head Start center or another
safe location.
Home base program home visits must be conducted in the home.
