Home Base     

The Head Start home-based option is a method of service delivery that capitalizes on the home as the young child’s primary learning environment. Similar to other Head Start options, homebased services have a primary goal of promoting the development of children from birth to age 5 in all areas of development. Home visitors provide to children and families comprehensive services that cover all the elements of Head Start programming. Services delivered in the home must adhere to the revised Head Start Program Performance Standards in 45 CFR Part 1304.

Each family should receive one home visit per week for a minimum of 90 minutes duration. Visits should be conducted in the home and cannot be replaced by medical or social service appointments. Programs must offer two group socialization experiences per month in a developmentally appropriate setting. Staff members must reschedule and complete home visits or socializations that were cancelled by program staff people to meet the required number of yearly home visits and socializations. Home visitors should work with an average of 10-12 families, with a maximum of 12 families per home visitor.