Parent Perceptions of Program Benefit: Highlights from A Qualitative Exploration of Parent Retention and Engagement in Early Childhood Home Visiting

Home visiting is associated with a number of positive outcomes, but these benefits are most likely to occur when there is regular and frequent contact between the parent and the home visitor and full implementation of the curriculum. However, many eligible parents do not enroll in home visiting programs, while other parents enroll but drop out, or receive less than the prescribed quantity of services. This brief explores issues related to parent engagement and retention in home visiting. It describes parents' reasons for enrolling in home visiting services, their perceptions of the benefits of services, and recommendations for strengthening their understanding of program services and benefits.