Home Visit – Parent / Teacher Conference (classroom based model)

Home Visits and Teacher-parent conferences are valuable in building respectful relationships with parents and in developing a broad understanding of every child in the program. The visits and conferences enhance adult’s knowledge and understanding of the developmental progress of their child. A minimum of two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences will be conducted in the family’s home language or using the services of an interpreter.

• Typically, a combination of two home visits and two parent/teacher conferences provides sufficient opportunities for identifying appropriate educational goals and discussion of each child’s individual development and progress. More home visits/conferences may be added on an individual basis.
• Home visits must occur in the enrolled child’s home unless the parents expressly request that the visit take place at the site or another safe location or if the visit to the home presents significant safety hazards for staff.
• Parent-teacher conferences should occur at the site however the parent’s needs will be taken into consideration.
•  Time options and days should be available to best meet the needs of individual parent.
• Home visits and Parent-teacher conferences will be planned ahead of time using the Home Visit and Parent Conference Events in the Education Domain of Child Plus. A paper Plan form is also available.
  • Use the Home Visit and Parent Conference Events to plan and document visits and conferences.
  • Be on time and keep visit to a reasonable amount of time (no more than 1.5 hours).
  • When conducting a parent/teacher contact with an interpreter, the teacher will go over material to be discussed before the contact takes place.
• Home Visit/Parent-Teacher conferences will be documented as an event in the Education tab of Child Plus within 3 business days of conference or visit. The following will be included in the documentation:
  • Date, Time, & Location of the contact.
  • Family and Staff present at the visit.
  • Documentation of discussion/activities related to child development, family services, disabilities and mental health. Include specific details regarding topics discussed.
    • The details of topics related to Family Services and Health will be documented in the appropriate domains of Child Plus.
  • Follow-up needed if any and who will do the follow-up
  • Plans for the next visit
• Full-Day, Full year program will offer families an additional visit/conference during the summer months.

• Home Visits and Parent-Teacher conferences need to occur at regular intervals during the program year. Every year the program will set benchmark dates that appointments need to be completed by.
• Children who enroll after the start of the program year must be offered two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences as well. Every effort must be made to schedule all 4 appointments. The appointments should be evenly space through the remaining time left in the program calendar.
  • If this proves not possible, staff will document the reasons for this in the child’s electronic record.
• The following sequence is the suggested routine in the regular program for sharing information with families during the school year:
  • 1st Family Contact Use this first contact to do the following:
    • Get to know the family, share briefly who you are, what your classroom is like, how the year will look.
    • Share available screening results.
    • Complete the following forms with the families, unless already completed.
      • Child & Family Funds of Knowledge form (place in the education section of the site file).
      • Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE).
      • Give a brief introduction to the Developmental Assessment and ask the family if there is a particular skill that they would like to work on at home with their child.
      • Continue Family Partnership Process by assessing, prior to the contact, what occurred during the intake process. A Family Strengths and Needs Assessment will have been introduced or completed during intake. If the Strengths and Needs Assessment was completed check in to see if the resources provided at intake met the need or if further follow up is required. If the assessment was not completed at intake, complete the Strengths and Needs Assessment.
      • For returning families, update the Strengths and Needs Assessment from the previous year and document changes in the electronic record.
      • If the Parent Education/Interest Survey form was not completed in another setting e.g. enrollment, open house, etc. complete with parent at initial conference.
      • A developmentally appropriate activity for the parent and child for returning families and new families if time allows.
      • Inform and/or schedule next Family Contact.
  • Family Contact #2
    • Use the Family Conference form in TS Gold to share child’s developmental assessment information. Share additional work samples and photos as appropriate.
    • Continue the Family Partnership process by offering to partner on a family or personal goal with the Family Partnership Agreement form. Document the goal and steps to achieving the goal as a Family Goal Event in the Family Services domain of Child Plus.
    • Discuss transition to kindergarten. Share what options are available, such as going to a different school and how to begin the process. Encourage parents to visit schools.
    • Solicit parent ideas for classroom curriculum related to their child’s interest and emerging skills.
    • Share a DAP parent-child activity.
    • Volunteer opportunities.
    • Health, social services, & mental health follow-up and referrals.
    • Plan and/or schedule next family contact.
    • Document parent contact in electronic record.
  • Family Contact #3
    • Use the Family Conference form in TS Gold to share child’s developmental assessment information. Share additional work samples and photos as appropriate.
      • Continue the Family Partnership process by following up on information and referrals provided, steps to achieving goals and continued volunteer opportunities.
      • Continue discussion around transition to kindergarten.
      • Solicit parent ideas for classroom curriculum related to their child’s interest, emerging skills.
      • Share a DAP parent-child activity.
      • Health, social services, & mental health follow-up.
      • Inform family of the next Family Contact.
      • Document parent contact in electronic record .
  • Family Contact #4
    • Use the Family Conference form in TS Gold to share child’s developmental assessment information. Share additional work samples and photos as appropriate.
      • Kindergarten transition – confirm public school that child will be attending.
      • Summer learning opportunities (i.e.. Public Library).
      • Share a DAP parent-child activity.
      • Follow up related to Family Partnership plan/goals. Summarize current status and close out the FPA if the family is transitioning out of Head Start.
      • Update the Strengths and Interests Assessment and document any changes.
      • Health, social services, & mental health follow-up.
      • Document parent contact in electronic record.
  • Full-Day, Full-Year Summer
    • Use the Family Conference form in TS Gold to share child’s developmental assessment information. If appropriate, the Individual Child Report can also be used to share assessment information with the family.
      • Transition – If parents have moved since transition information has gone out to schools give parents a copy of the Transition Summary in order that they may share with their child’s new school.
      • Summer learning opportunities (i.e.. Public Library)
      • DAP parent-child activity
      • Health, social services, & mental health follow-up
      • Document parent contact in electronic record

This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standard 45CFR Section 1302.34, 1302.50, 1302.52, 1302.71(a)

It was approved by Policy Council on April 8, 1997. August 14,2007. April 2018

Updated on July 7,1999. Update June 11, 2005. August 2008. June 2009. October 2010. November 2012. July 2013. August 2014. October 2015. March 2018

REVIEWED: June 2018.

©2005-2022. Head Start of Lane County. All rights reserved.