Foundational Online Trainings
This series of learning modules is designed to promote the home visitor’s knowledge of the foundations of early learning, warning signs of developmental delays, meeting the needs of families, and understanding the emerging profession of home visiting. The modules have been listed in a sequence that is beneficial for the learner but can be viewed in any order.
Healthy Brain Development: The Importance of the First Three Years This module presents the scientific basis for providing early services and supports to young children and their families. Emphasis is on the application of this evidence to home visiting.
Typical Child Development from Birth to Age 5 This module presents information on typical child development in 5 domains of development: Adaptive, Cognition, Communication, Motor, and Social-Emotional through age 5 and the interaction of the developmental domains.
Developmental Warning Signs Building upon typical development, this module describes specific behaviors that may indicate a child has a developmental delay or disability.
Screening This module presents the importance of developmental screening, tools that are available, discussing findings with families, and referring to appropriate resources.
Safety and Nutrition This module presents critical safety and health issues of concern to families with young children. It focuses on physical safety, nutrition, and the importance of physical activity.
Families with Complex Needs I: Homelessness Many families are struggling with and experiencing increased levels of adversity. Understanding the challenges and locating resources within the community are key to lessen any negative impact. This module and the next explore identifying community based family supports that are responsible to the concerns, priorities, and resources of the family. This first module focuses on the needs and challenges of families who are without permanent housing.
Families with Complex Needs II: Low Literacy and Cognitive Disabilities Many families are struggling with and experiencing increased levels of adversity. Understanding the challenges and locating resources within the community are key to lessen any negative impact. This module and the previous one explore identifying community based family supports that are responsible to the concerns, priorities, and resources of the family. This module focuses on working with parents who have intellectual disabilities or low literacy.
Positive Parenting This module describes the meaning of family engagement, positive parenting and responding appropriately to the child based on the child’s cues. Recognizing that parents are their child’s first and most important teachers is an important part of influencing the parent- child interaction style to promote a healthy, loving relationship.
Working with Community Resources This module describes the need for home visitors to collaborate with a variety of community programs and resources, especially those related to serving children with developmental delay. A particular emphasis is on the programs in the District of Columbia: Strong Start, Early Stages, DC Early Childhood Programs, DC Child Care Connection.
Routines Based Learning This module explores the importance of using everyday activities and routines as a context for learning. The importance of coordinated, predictable practices in promoting healthy child development are described.
Cultural Competence This module explores the cultural values, beliefs, traditions of families which may influence child rearing. The role of the home visitor in respecting cultural influences is discussed.
Child Abuse and Neglect This module discusses the contemporary and ecological context of family violence in the United States, including the role of culture in contributing to, maintaining, and providing rationalizations for violence in interpersonal relationships. It describes the impact of chronic neglect has on brain development as well as social-emotional behavior and learning.
The Home Visitor, an Emerging Profession This module describes the importance of establishing a trusting, open relationship with the families the home visitor serves. The art and science of communication, collaboration and professional boundaries, and procedures for home visitor safety in high risk neighborhoods are discussed.