Why is early childhood home visitation important?

The home is the first and most important learning environment for children, and parents are their child’s most influential teachers. Home visitation delivers parent education and family support services directly to parents with young children, providing guidance on how parents can enhance their children’s development from birth through kindergarten entry.

Home visitation is an effective, research-based and cost-efficient way to bring families and resources together to ensure that children grow up healthy and ready to learn. 

What is the “Education Begins at Home Act”?

The Education Begins at Home Act (S. 244) was reintroduced in the 111th Congress on January 14, 2009 by Senators Bond (MO), Clinton (NY) and Murray (WA). It is intended to give many more children a quality early childhood experience through the provision of home visitation services. The new funds will help states to establish or expand quality home visitation programs already underway in communities, and will target some specific groups of children and families for assistance. The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and is awaiting reintroduction in the House. 

This legislation builds on existing models of quality early childhood home visitation programs, which together can help to meet the special needs of different children and families. This legislation will help states to create a system of early childhood home visitation that will ensure that families are receiving the most appropriate services to meet their needs.

What does the “Education Begins at Home Act” do?

The legislation will establish the first dedicated federal funding stream to support parents with young children through quality home visitation at the state and local level.

Specifically, the bill will:
•    Provide $400 million over 3 years to states to expand access to parent education and family support services through quality early childhood home visitation programs;
•    Provide $50 million over 3 years to partnerships at the local level to expand early childhood home visitation services to families with English language learners;
•    Provide $50 million over 3 years to provide early childhood home visitation services to families with a family member in the Armed Forces; and 

•  Strengthen the early childhood home visitation component of Early Head Start.

What does the coalition do?

The coalition is advocating for enactment and funding of the Education Begins at Home Act, by educating policymakers and the public about the benefits of home visiting. 

How can I be involved?

Please contact YaMinco Varner at yvarner@homevistingcoalition.org