(a) Grantees implementing a home-based program option must:

(1) Provide one home visit per week per family (a minimum of 32 home visits per year) lasting for a minimum of 1 and 1/2 hours each.

(2) Provide, at a minimum, two group socialization activities per month for each child (a minimum of 16 group socialization activities each year).

(3) Make up planned home visits or scheduled group socialization activities that were canceled by the grantee or by program staff when this is necessary to meet the minimums stated above. Medical or social service appointments may not replace home visits or scheduled group socialization activities.

(4) Allow staff sufficient employed time to participate in pre-service training, to plan and set up the program at the start of the year, to close the program at the end of the year, to maintain records, and to keep component and activities plans current and relevant. These activities should take place when no home visits or group socialization activities are planned.

(5) Maintain an average caseload of 10 to 12 families per home visitor with a maximum of 12 families for any individual home visitor.

(b) Home visits must be conducted by trained home visitors with the content of the visit jointly planned by the home visitor and the parents. Home visitors must conduct the home visit with the participation of parents. Home visits may not be conducted by the home visitor with only babysitters or other temporary caregivers in attendance.

(1) The purpose of the home visit is to help parents improve their parenting skills and to assist them in the use of the home as the child's primary learning environment. The home visitor must work with parents to help them provide learning opportunities that enhance their child's growth and development.

(2) Home visits must, over the course of a month, contain elements of all Head Start program components. The home visitor is the person responsible for introducing, arranging and/or providing Head Start services.

(c) Group socialization activities must be focused on both the children and parents. They may not be conducted by the home visitor with babysitters or other temporary caregivers.

(1) The purpose of these socialization activities for the children is to emphasize peer group interaction through age appropriate activities in a Head Start classroom, community facility, home, or on a field trip. The children are to be supervised by the home visitor with parents observing at times and actively participating at other times.

(2) These activities must be designed so that parents are expected to accompany their children to the group socialization activities at least twice each month to observe, to participate as volunteers or to engage in activities designed specifically for the parents.

(3) Grantees must follow the nutrition requirements specified in 45 CFR 1304.23(b)(2) and provide appropriate snacks and meals to the children during group socialization activities.