Head Start Home Visiting Performance Standards and Framework

Partners for a Healthy Baby is a nationally recognized, research-based curriculum used by many home visiting models to improve birth outcomes, reduce rates of child abuse, increase intervals between pregnancies, strengthen families, enhance child health and developmental outcomes, and support family stability and economic self-sufficiency. The Partners curriculum was developed by a highly experienced multi- disciplinary faculty team at Florida State University, and designed to support a systematic approach to planning and conducting effective home visits.

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The FSU Partners for a Healthy Baby (Partners) curriculum focuses on ensuring parents are supported to provide responsive care and offer effective learning experiences in an environment that encourages their child's growth and development. The Partners curriculum is designed to prepare parents with the knowledge and skills needed to care for their young child, and support optimal bonding and attachment. The curriculum also encourages parents to become their child's first teacher by providing activities that support all aspects of a child's development.

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The Head Start Performance Standards require that Early Head Start program's curriculum aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (HSELOF). The newly revised FSU Partners curriculum provides rich content for home visitors and caregiving staff to support parents' efforts to ensure the healthy development and learning of their infants and toddlers. There are approximately 200 Parent Handouts designed to be used by the family to promote their child's development across all of the HSELOF domains. The intent of these Parent Handouts is to provide parents with activities-often using materials found in the home-to support their child's development. A subset of interactive Parent Handouts provides the family an opportunity to "Reflect, Observe, and Review," and complete questions that support their ongoing ability to consider their child's development, strengths, likes, and dislikes.