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General information about the Home Visitor Credential
Home Visitor role
Home Visitors are primary staff members who conduct home-based child development programs. A Home Visitor must be knowledgeable and experienced in all areas of child development in order to help parents appreciate the rapid growth and development of their children and meet their changing needs as young infants, mobile infants, toddlers and preschoolers. They must be familiar with and sensitive to the community where the families live. They must be skilled adult educators who are able to establish a trusting working relationship with clients – supporting their self-confidence, growth and development both as parents and as individuals.
top Obtaining a Home Visitor Credential
Individuals interested in obtaining a CDA Home Visitor Credential should begin by referring to the section titled “Obtaining a CDA Credential”. The following information found there is identical for ALL Candidates seeking CDA Credentials:
- Eligibility to apply for CDA assessment
- Training requirements (120 hours of education) to apply for assessment
- Purchase application packet ($18 plus $5 shipping) for the Home Visitor Credential.
The assessment procedures for Home Visitor Candidates are different than those for Candidates applying for the Center-based or Family Child Care Credential. Here is an overview of the process.
top Assessment requirements
Home Visitor assessment involves a Local Assessment Team (LAT) consisting of four people: the Candidate; Advisor; Council Representative; and Parent/Community Representative. Detailed information about the assessment process as well as instructions and materials for each Team Member are included in the Home Visitor Application Packet .
Upon receipt of an Application Packet, a Candidate is ready to begin working on the requirements for CDA assessment. These requirements are completed in three phases—preparation of necessary materials; filing of application; and verification and decision about competence and knowledge.
Preparation: The first set of requirements involves the Candidate documenting evidence of her/his competence from the following four sources:
- A Portfolio of materials pertaining to the Candidate's work is prepared by the Candidate
- Parent Opinion Questionnaires are collected by the parent community representative to provide feedback from parents with children in the Candidate's work setting
- An Advisor Report Form records observations by the Advisor of the Candidate's skill during home visits
- A Parent/Community Representative Report Form records observations by the Parent/Community Representative of the Candidate's skill during home visits
Application: When the above documentation is complete, the Candidate, Advisor, and P/C Representative sign the Home Visitor Assessment Application Form and send it to the Council with the assessment fee ($325) and documentation of training. This alerts the Council that the LAT Team is ready to meet and to assign a Council Representative to the Team.
Verification and decision: A Council Representative is assigned to visit the Candidate to record observations of the Candidate's skills during home visits and to participate in the Local Assessment Team meeting. At the Team meeting, all four members—Candidate, Council Rep, Advisor, and P/C Rep—review the information collected and recommend whether or not to award the credential.
For further information about the Home Visitor CDA Credential, contact the Council at 800-424-4310 or 202-265-9090.
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