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…

When low-income women become parents for the first time, they often need support, education and encouragement to be the best parent they can be. They truly want to succeed. Desire, unfortunately, is not enough. These women are usually most open to health care assistance, parenting tools, and a therapeutic relationship with a community health…

Educators are committed to understanding one another in their community as they explore their diversity. The home visit unit of study represents one of the earliest examples of "student research" done at the school where these authors teach, which serves children in pre-kindergarten classes through grade eight. A home visit is a field…

For families who might otherwise be isolated--socially, economically, and/or geographically--home visitation can be a highly beneficial family support service. Drawing on her experiences with Family Connections, a home visitation initiative serving families with children birth to age 5, in Fresno County, California, Bouhebent conveys best…

Initiated in 1971, the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program is a major national effort to evaluate and improve the skills of caregivers in center-based, family day care, and home visitor programs. Part I of this book presents an overview of the CDA National Credentialing Program and the competency standards and…

The final report describes the development of a program to train neighborhood mothers as home visitors to families with a handicapped child under age 3. The following program aspects are detailed (sample subtopics in parentheses): population (referral sources, family and child characteristics); staff (changes in staffing pattern, hiring core…

This paper describes the Intergenerational Program, a high school volunteer program which matches students with older adults who receive help and companionship through the Independent Aging Program (San Jose, California). The history of the student program is reviewed, and the steps involved in establishing the program are outlined. Recruitment of…

This report describes the 1977 activities of the Marketable Preschool Education (MPE) Program conducted by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory. The report describes both completed activities and those in progress at the end of 1977. The following activities are described: (1) the final preparation of the Home Visitor Training Package for…

Information on a national survey of 643 home visiting programs serving families with children under 3 years of age is presented. Data include family characteristics, purpose of home visits, services provided, organizational structure, the conduct of home visits, home visitor employment and training, and program evaluation efforts. (Author/DB)

This commentary reviews progress towards the development and implementation of home-based services aimed at preventing abuse and neglect and promoting the health and development of the infant and mother. The effectiveness of the Healthy Families model and the Olds' model are highlighted, and challenges facing home visitation programs are…

The case study, one of a series of reports describing innovative practices in integrating people with disabilities into community life, describes the Community Training and Education (CITE) Program in Cincinnati (Ohio), which provides training and education for children with disabilities and their families through home-based services. The program…

A progress report of research on the long-term effects of a home-oriented preschool program. (CM)

Discusses the objectives, practices, and values associated with home-based early childhood programs. (MP)

A Boston principal reflects on decade-long efforts to get students and their families to read together. Initiatives ranged from reading contests and upgraded reading materials to reading contracts, literacy shows, parent/home visiting programs, pizza parties, and off-site tutors. Persistence paid off in higher reading scores. (MLH)

Project Sunrise, a home based parent training model, was designed to serve preschool handicapped children living in rural areas of Montana. Literature was reviewed on when to begin educational intervention, the results of early intervention, the types of intervention most effective, the positive effects of parent education, and the benefits of…