Art and Practice of Home Visiting

Dr. Cook earned her doctorate degree with an emphasis on developmental psychology and two related master of arts degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles. She focused her interest on young children with special needs while serving as Director of the Early Childhood Center at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and the Child Development Center at Mount Saint Mary's College in Los Angeles. Daily involvement with families of children from highly diverse backgrounds convinced her of the importance of fully involving families in all aspects of their children's development. More than 25 years ago, Dr. Cook recognized the value of providing practical training based on evidence-based practices designed to facilitate inclusion of young children with special needs in natural environments. To this end, she initiated the publication of the coauthored Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Young Children with Special Needs (Prentice Hall, 2007). This pioneering text is now in its 7th edition. In addition, she is a co-author of Strategies for Including Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings (Thomson Delmar Learning, 2000). She has directed several federal training grants that provide tuition assistance to prepare students to work with young children with special needs both in their homes and in center-based programs. Dr. Cook consults widely and presents often in the areas of family-professional relationships and strategies for effective inclusion.While at Western Michigan University, Ms. Sparks spent a sabbatical year with the department of public health in Battle Creek, Michigan, doing home visits with public health nurses. More recently she was an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Early Childhood Education at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in speech pathology and audiology from the University of Iowa, her Master of Arts degree also in speech pathology and audiology from Tulane University, New Orleans, and completed all but her dissertation in the Ph.D. program in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Ms. Sparks was a pioneer in early intervention, working with families, home visiting, and giving numerous presentations throughout the county. She has felt strongly that it is necessary to remain a practitioner in the field to experience real problems that early interventionists encounter. Until very recently, she served as a consultant to HOPE Homestart in San José, California, a home program for children with special needs between age 0 and 3. A fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Ms. Sparks has authored training modules and many articles and chapters on early intervention and the family in addition to a book on genetics in speech-language disorders and a book on the effects of prenatal substance abuse on speech and language.

• About the DownloadsAbout the AuthorsAbout the ContributorForewordBy Kathy WahlFrom a Mother to Her Home VisitorsPrefaceAcknowledgementsSection IChapter 1: An Overview of Home VisitingLearning OutcomesHistory of Home VisitingEradication of Poverty by Changing Environmental ConditionsMassive Arrival of ImmigrantsRapid Transformation of SocietyEarly Home VisitorsLessons from The PastHome Visiting TodayCompetencies NeededHome Visitors as CoachesRemote Home VisitingPhilosophy and Approach to Home VisitingApproaches to Home VisitingChild FocusedFamily FocusedCollaborative TeamEvidence-Based PracticeCritical Needs Positively Impacted by Home VisitingHealthy BabiesSafe Homes and Nurturing RelationshipsOptimal Early Learning and Long-Term Academic AchievementSelf-Sufficient ParentsCultural InfluencesSummarRead‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 2: Collaborating with FamiliesLearning OutcomesFamily Reaction to Vulnerability and CrisisIncreased Stress LevelsDenial Can Be A FriendViewing the Family as a WholeUnderstanding Familes as SystemsFamily StructureCultural OrientationIndividualism Vs CollectivismFamily DynamicsSensitive ResponsivenessFamily-Orchestrated Child ExperiencesHealth and SafetyFathersStrategies to Engage FathersSiblingsFamily FunctionsStrategies to Facilitate Family EmpowermentDeveloping EmpathyAchieving EmpathyAsking QuestionsListening Attentively and With ReflectionAvoid JargonPhrase Negative Information CarefullyRespecting Family PreferencesPreparing Families for ChangeFocusing on Strengths, Achievements and DesiresIdentifying Strategies That Will Help Families Achieve Desired OutcomesSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussSection IIChapter 3: Building Home Visitor:Family RelationshipsLearning OutcomesFirst ImpressionsPersonal Characteristics of The Home VisitorEmotional Needs of Both Families and Home VisitorsThe Initial VisitGreetingHand CleansingAct Like You Are A Guest in The HomeBlending CulturesGetting Down to BusinessConnecting with SiblingsOther Home Visitor Behaviors That Build RelationshipsBe ReliableAbandon Your AgendaObserve YourselfDeveloping A Plan of Intervention with The FamilyIdentifying the Family’s Most Important ConcernsExplain and Summarize All Assessment ResultsSummarize and PrioritizeAssisting the Family with Implementation of The PlanInformation and ServicesOn-Line InformationResource SupportsSocial SupportsSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 4: Facilitating Parent‐Child RelationshipsLearning OutcomesThe Caregiver‐Infant RelationshipRelationship TerminologyTypes of AttachmentSecure AttachmentAmbivalent AttachmentAvoidant AttachmentDisorganized AttachmentInterference with Attachment—ParentsInterference with Attachment—InfantsParent‐Infant InteractionsInfant Communication SignalsEye GazeJoint AttentionGesturesReciprocityInteractional Patterns of Children with Unique NeedsWhat to Consider When Encouraging Caregiver‐Infant AttachmentAdult‐Adult Dyadic InteractionsIntervention When Caregiver‐Infant Interaction Signals Are UniqueThe Infant Mental Health Model (IMH)Carefully Observe the Evidence of Attachment BehaviorsEstablishing Interaction Through ReciprocityServe and ReturnEstablishing Attachment Through FeedingEstablishing Attachment Through PlayIntervention in A Cultural ContextReflecting on Success as A Home VisitorGreen Flags of Effective VisitsRed Flags of Ineffective VisitsSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 5: Structure of Home VisitationsLearning OutcomesBefore Home Visiting BeginsAssessment for Program Planning and MonitoringFormal AssessmentInformal AssessmentFactors to Be Considered in Interpretation of AssessmentHome Visiting ActivitiesFormat of Home VisitsUpon ArrivalWhat's New?Today's ActivitiesWhere to Begin?Toy Bag or Not?Reflect and Plan for The Next VisitWhat's Coming Up?Anything Else?Good‐ByeElements of A Home VisitUpon ArrivalWhat's New?Today's ActivitiesWhere to Begin?Toy Bag or Not?Reflect and Plan for The Next VisitWhat's Coming Up?Anything Else?Good‐ByeApproaches to InterventionHome Visitor Direct ApproachUnique Role of ModelingThe Eight Steps of ModelingApplied Behavior Analysis (Aba)Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI)Home Visitor Indirect ApproachFamily‐Guided Routine Based InterventionPoints to Keep in MindProblems to AvoidDirect Vs Indirect ApproachesHome Visitors as CoachesParents as InterventionistsSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussSection IIIChapter 6: Specific Family ChallengesLearning OutcomesAdverse Childhood ExperiencesTrauma Informed Care and the 2020 PandemicRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesParents with Mental Health ChallengesRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesParents with Cognitive DisabilitiesRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesTeenage ParentsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesFoster and Adoptive ParentsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesGrandparents In The Role Of ParentsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesMilitary FamiliesMilitary Families are ResilientMilitary Family Separations are Difficult and ComplicatedMost Military Parents Were Not Military ChildrenChange is ConstantPeers can Pave the Way for Service MembersMilitary LingoNot Everyone in Uniform has Access to the Same ProgramsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesPovertyHomelessnessRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesImmigrant And Refugee FamiliesAvoiding Communication/Cultural Barriers with Effective Interpreters/TranslatorsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 7: Responding to Children's ChallengesLearning OutcomesPrimary and Secondary ConditionsDaily ChallengesFeedingOral‐Motor‐Skill DeficitsFeeding within the Cultural ContextChildren with Gastroesophageal Reflux DisorderChildren on Gastrostomy TubesNeed for a Feeding SpecialistRole of the Home VisitorStructureSocial ModelingBehavioral TreatmentMake Foods ManageableEncourage Children to Use Their Cognitive SkillsPotential ResourcesSleepingSleep Routines within the Cultural ContextNeed for Concern about Sleep DisturbancesSigns of Possible Problems with SleepRole of the Home VisitorEstablishing a Consistent Bedtime RoutinePotential ResourcesSpeech and Language ChallengesCharacteristics of a Possible Language DisorderCharacteristics of a Possible Articulation DisorderCharacteristics of a Possible Fluency DisorderRole of the Home VisitorImitationTaking TurnsShared RegardPlay GamesPotential Resources Hearing ChallengesTypes of Hearing LossRole of the Home VisitorMedically FragileStaying HealthyMultiple ChallengesRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesVisual ChallengesSelf‐stimulating BehaviorsLanguage Development with Children with Visual Challenges Role of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 8: Enduring Challenges With Carole OsselearLearning OutcomesCommon Enduring ChallengesMotor ChallengesRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesDevelopmental ChallengesCultural Differences in Developmental Challenges Down SyndromePointers for Working with Children with Down SyndromeRole of the Home VisitorAutism Spectrum DisordersThe Autism SpectrumFacilitating a DiagnosisResponding When Parents Suspect ASDResponding When Parents Look for AnswersRole of the Home VisitorPotential Resources Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderDiagnosisSymptoms of FASD are VariableIntervention ConceptsRole of the Home VisitorPotential ResourcesSummary Read‐Reflect‐DiscussChapter 9: Personal Concerns of the Home VisitorLearning OutcomesEthical IssuesConfidentialityBoundariesCross-cultural Conflicts Agency Guidelines Home Visitor—Agency or Legal IssuesBoundaries in Family ServiceNoncooperative FamiliesMaking CompromisesDiscontinuing VisitsPersonal SafetyNurturing the NurturerPersonal OrganizationSummaryRead‐Reflect‐DiscussReferencesAppendixesAppendix A: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — Heads UpAppendix B: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — The Crawler-CreeperAppendix C: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — The CruiserAppendix D: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — The WalkerAppendix E: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — The DoerAppendix F: Infant Development from Birth to 3 Years — The TesterAppendix G: Speech and Language Development of Infants and Young ChildrenAppendix H: Home Visit Record FormAppendix I: Toys Cleverly Disguised as Household ItemsAppendix J: Guidelines for Referral: Red FlagsAppendix K: Suggested Resources (by Subject)GlossaryIndex