Home Visitation With Psychologically Vulnerable Families: Developments in the Profession and in the Professional

Research into the benefits of home visiting has revealed varying results and little is known about the elements that make programs of value to the families at highest risk for dysfunction. The varied effects of home visiting programs is linked to many factors, including program content and goals, the family and community context, the use of evaluation for program improvement, and how well the program is implemented.

In this Zero to Three Journal article, the author addresses how structural (dosage, target, and staffing) and process (relationships, theory of change, approach and activities) aspects of home visiting programs enhance their quality and, ultimately, their benefit to high-risk families and their young children.