Connections between family and child characteristics and referrals to comprehensive services in Early Head Start

Early Head Start (EHS) provides comprehensive services to support children and their parents, including referring parents to supports to meet family self-sufficiency and well-being goals and their children’s developmental needs. Little research has documented families’ referral to these services, and how they vary by family and child characteristics. The goals of this study were: (1) to explore whether there is evidence of appropriate targeting in family referrals to comprehensive services by examining the associations between family and child characteristics and reported referrals; and (2) among families enrolled in programs offering both center-based and home-based service delivery models, to examine differences in referrals and characteristics between families participating in center-based versus home-based services. Data came from the EHS Family and Child Experiences Study 2009–2012 (Baby FACES; N = 702). When children were 1 and 2 years old, parents reported on their own and their children’s characteristics. Families also reported on their referrals to services in the areas of education/job training, child disability, mental health services, child care, employment, financial help, and health care. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict each type of service referral from these characteristics. Many (but not all) findings suggested associations between family and child characteristics and referrals to specific types of comprehensive services. When families were enrolled in programs offering both center- and home-based service delivery models, findings suggested that enrollment in home-based services may be a first form of referral.