Growing Great Kids™ Early Head Start/Head Start
Why Offer an Early Head Start Home-Based Program Option?
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With increased understanding of the unparalleled role parents play in a child’s social development, academic success and emotional regulation, the countless benefits of offering families a home-Based Early Head Start Program option have become increasingly apparent. Reaching out to both mothers and fathers with infants and young children in their homes, clearly conveys the message that they are the ones who are ultimately responsible for nurturing, teaching and encouraging their children to succeed. Research has demonstrated that early, comprehensive home visiting programs significantly reduce child abuse and neglect rates, enhance parent-child relationships, strengthen families, and foster childhood health, developmental and educational outcomes. The most cost-effective way to teach essential parenting skills, to promote child health and school readiness, and to motivate parents to practice responsible, responsive mothering and fathering is to offer them services starting prenatally or shortly after the birth of a child, in their natural environment, the family home. |
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The Early Head Start (EHS) Home-Based Program option provides a unique opportunity to offer individually-tailored, fully integrated, family-centered services to:
- Any parent who would benefit from an intensive program aimed at building secure attachment relationships, fostering infant emotional, cognitive and physical health, and cultivating parenting and life skills
- Parents who do not need or want center-based child care
- Families who are experiencing health challenges or life circumstances that prevent them from participating in a more structured program setting
- Families who live in rural communities where center-based services are not feasible.
- Parents learn how to be the primary providers of the nurturing care, developmental stimulation and encouragement for their children, preparing them for a lifetime of proactive parenting.
- Parents become more value-driven, self-sufficient and confident because family-oriented services can be individualized, with personal/family concerns being addressed in the privacy of their own home.
- In-home outreach provides more frequent opportunities to involve fathers in caring for, providing for and teaching their children.
- Parents learn, within the context of family relationships that will last a lifetime, how to provide the safety, understanding, and encouragement needed to put their children at ease as they explore, satisfy their curiosity, make mistakes and form their identities.
- Infants and young children can experience daily learning and loving care without disruption of their natural rhythms and routines.
- Providing EHS services in the home allows the child to receive more individual attention than even the best classroom can offer.
- Home-Based EHS fosters the natural instincts parents have to detect their child’s abilities and challenges, while supporting parents in taking responsibility to advocate for the needs of their children.
- Families visited in their home environment eliminates the need for very costly classrooms.
- By visiting in the home you will not have to comply with local fire, health and licensing requirements for daycare centers.
- Staffing costs will be significantly reduced, as the staff ratio for home visiting services is 12 Families to 1 Home Visitor, while classroom ratios are 4 Infants or 8 Toddlers to 1 Teacher.
- Additional cost savings wil be realized from lower transportation costs, reduced requirements for equipment and toys, and meals and diapers provided only at socializations.
- It facilitates more individualized services to EHS families.
- More time is available to incorporate family values and goals to achieve better family service-related program outcomes.