Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/advancing-new-and-emerging-leaders-with-a-leadership-academy-approach/5025208/
Early childhood home visiting programs engage families with young children by providing information, resources and support. Prenatal, infant and early childhood evidence-based home visiting for vulnerable families has been shown to improve maternal and child health and development outcomes. While home visiting programs have existed since at least the 1960s and there were many state-funded programs prior to 2010, home visiting expanded nationwide in 2010 with the creation of the federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. MIECHV-funded programs are designed to help parents support the healthy development of infants and young children by helping them overcome some of the problems and barriers that at-risk families often face.
One challenge that arose as home visiting services expanded was how to best support training and professional development for home visiting personnel. Unfortunately, there was no clear answer as to what types of training home visitors or their supervisors should receive. Research on how to improve home visitor competencies that would lead to improved outcomes was limited, and research on home visiting leadership development was virtually nonexistent. Anecdotal evidence suggested that many coordinators and directors entered their position because they were good teachers or home visitors. This led to their being promoted ...