Although research shows that fathers matter for child development, there is a lack of father
participation in home visiting programs and limited research on why and how fathers participate in the programs.
Families
enrolled in home visiting programs are visited by trained professionals on a regular basis who provide practical tips and information — as well as emotional support — on a range of issues.
Most mothers report that fathers can be safely
engaged in home visiting programs, but some mothers did report that they or their children had been victims of family violence.
Participants
in home visiting programs also created more developmentally stimulating home environments, had more responsive interactions with their children, and knew more about child development.
A small body of research has found that families who participated
in a home visiting program when their children were young may continue to benefit through their children's adolescence.
Her work includes designing and conducting rigorous evaluations and applied
research in home visiting programs, early care, and education settings, and foster care systems.
Participants will understand the need to build integrated and connected engagement and support strategies for success in the development of mental health
consultation in home visiting programs.
Families participating
in home visiting programs choose to receive regular, planned home visits from trained providers such as nurses, social workers, and educators.
To ensure families receive the full benefits of
participating in home visiting programs, they must remain engaged throughout the curriculum and complete the appropriate number of visits with their home visitor.
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Prevention and Early Intervention Division continues to
invest in home visiting programs as an important support for families and has prioritized understanding the ways in which home visiting programs provide value for families.
More research is needed to understand how participation
in home visiting programs in the early years of life serves to encourage high - risk parents to take advantage of early education programs available to them that can further support children's school readiness outcomes.
This brief addresses five research questions that inform administrators, program staff, and researchers who are interested in increasing father
engagement in home visiting programs:
Compared to control groups, babies of parents enrolled
prenatally in home visiting programs had better birth outcomes, and the programs were found to have a positive impact on breastfeeding and immunization rates., In other randomized trials, participating children were found to have a reduction in language delays at 21 months, reductions in mental health problems, fewer behavior problems, and increased mental development.
The state of Texas continues to invest
in home visiting programs as an important support for families, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has prioritized understanding the ways in which home visiting programs provide value for families.
The Texas Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) team committed to engaging fathers
in the home visiting programming based on research that supports father involvement for positive child outcomes.
CFRP surveyed approximately 1,700 mothers participating in the statewide THV program to examine families»
experiences in home visiting programs, including the relationship between mothers and home visitors.
As lead evaluator of the Texas Home Visiting (THV) program, the largest home visiting program in the country, serving over 6,500 families in 13 diverse communities across the state, Dr. Osborne writes of the lessons learned and limits of «evidence - based»
policymaking in Home Visiting Program: Four Evidence - Based Lessons for Policymakers.
What's more, the Ounce Institute has held training events exclusively focused on trauma, and in Chicago, a pilot
project in home visiting programs managed by Ounce staff has a special focus on trauma - informed work.
Following the rich tradition of the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Ounce of Prevention Fund convened the Sixth National Summit on Quality
in Home Visiting Programs November 15 - 16, 2016.