Individualizing Care and Ongoing Child Assessment in Home-Based Programs

Home visitor observing father with children reading a book.

The Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) for ongoing child assessment in home-based programs are the same as for center-based and family child care programs (45 CFR §1302.35(f)). But how ongoing child assessment is implemented in home-based programs may look a little different from group care settings. As home visitors promote the parent-child relationship and help parents provide learning experiences for their child during home visits and group socializations, they partner with families to conduct ongoing child assessment. This assessment informs joint planning for implementing the program’s research-based home-based curriculum and individualizing for each child across all ELOF domains. For more information about ongoing assessment in home-based programs, review: