Since the pandemic began, we’ve heard a lot about telehealth and the ability for health care and mental health providers to see patients via videoconference.
Another service that has adapted to our new normal is home visiting — also called in-home parenting support. Home visiting is for pregnant people, as well as families with new babies and young children. Now offered both safely in-person and virtually, home visiting is an important connection point for many families in our community.
Home visiting may be the most effective parenting support you’ve ever heard of.
Home visiting is a strategy used to support pregnancy and new families in ways that promote health, educational development and school readiness, while also helping to prevent child abuse and neglect. Home visitors visit a family’s home (in-person or virtually) regularly over a period of time to provide support, and deliver a learning curriculum.
Evidence-based home visiting programs — like Nurse-Family Partnership, Parents as Teachers (PAT), and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) — are super effective and available right here in Jeffco!
This great video highlights the essential work of home visitors — especially in the midst of a pandemic and the isolation it has caused for so many families.
https://vimeo.com/480762846
View a complete list of home visiting programs available
Scroll down and click the + symbol next to “Home visiting programs in Jeffco.”
Want to talk to someone about your needs and the different resources available?
The Jeffco Family Navigator provides confidential, one-on-one support. Click here to fill out a short form and the bilingual Family Navigator will contact you.
The benefits of in-home parenting support include:*
Healthier parents and babies
Home visiting promotes maternal health, which benefits babies, too!
Kids better prepared for kindergarten
The positive parenting practices that home visiting teaches help families support their children’s learning at home.
Children are safer
Studies show that home visiting programs help reduce rates of child abuse and injuries.
Families are self-sufficient
Participating in home visiting programs leads to greater participation in educational programs. And education is connected to higher earnings and self-sufficiency.
Home visiting programs save communities money
The benefits of these programs far outweigh the costs to provide them, according to research. One study found that high-quality home visiting programs have a $5.70 return for every dollar spent.
*Source: Child & Family Research Partnership, University of Texas
Learn more about the benefits of home visitation and the Jeffco programs and resources to support families. Contact the Bilingual Family Navigator or enter your zip code in the search bar below.
Remember, we all need support to raise healthy, happy kids!