Two worlds collide: caregiver perceptions of their interactions with help me grow home visitors.

Abstract

A majority of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act's (IDEA) Part C early intervention services are provided in the home setting. Relationships between families and home visitors are at the heart of how services are delivered through Part C programs. When the worlds of families and home visitors collide each caregiver is likely to have a unique perception of the supportive and non-supportive components of their interactions with their home visitor(s). This case study was designed to examine 10 caregivers' perceptions of their interactions with Part C home visitors providing services through Minnesota's Help Me Grow program. This research study demonstrates it is essential for home visitors to listen to caregivers' voices as a blueprint for designing family-centered home visits on a visit-by-visit basis. The seven components involved in home visit design include (a) giving caregivers options for their level of involvement during home visits, (b) providing options for modes of giving and receiving information, (c) being attentive to the family's desired boundaries within the home visiting processes, (d) being responsive to caregivers' priorities and concerns, (e) being attentive to the positive or negative energy the home visitor brings into the home, (f) being adaptable to the family and child's dynamic needs, and (g) providing families with phone numbers for third parties they can easily access when they have questions or concerns about service delivery or Part C personnel.