Do Home Visiting Programs Help Prevent Child Maltreatment?

As we celebrate National Home Visiting Appreciation Week during Child Abuse Prevention Month, it’s a great time to reflect on how #HomeVisitingWorks to ensure #WeArePrevention.

Becoming a new parent is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming—especially for families facing challenges like poverty, mental health issues or lack of support. That’s where home visiting programs can make a big difference.

Casey Family Programs wrote an Issue Brief titled “Are home visiting programs effective in reducing child maltreatment.” Here’s some of what they shared, but please do take time to read the entire brief and the additional resources they include.

What Are Home Visiting Programs?

Home visiting programs offer regular support from nurses, social workers or trained professionals to new and expectant parents—right in their homes. These visits focus on parenting skills, child development, health, and connecting families to community resources. Programs often start during pregnancy and continue through the child’s early years.

Do They Work?

Yes—research shows that home visiting programs are effective in reducing child abuse and neglect, improving health outcomes and supporting child development. For example:

• Healthy Families Virginia helped reduce maltreatment among families already involved with child welfare.

• Families in these programs saw improvements in breastfeeding, immunization rates and maternal mental health.

• Children showed better school readiness and behavior.

• Parents had higher incomes, better job or school participation, and improved parenting skills.

These programs can even save lives—one study found fewer preventable child deaths among families who received home visits.

Cost-Effective Support

Home visiting also saves money. For every $1 spent, programs return $1.80 to $5.70 by reducing costs for child protection, special education, healthcare and more.

Which Programs Help Reduce Child Maltreatment?

Several models have shown strong results:

• Healthy Families Virginia – Offers parenting support tailored to local needs.

• Parents as Teachers – Emphasizes child development and parent-child interaction.

• CHIP of Virginia – Visits from a registered nurse promote healthy pregnancies and help parents of young children take a proactive approach to health and development.

Each program is unique but shares common goals: building parenting skills, addressing mental health, connecting families to services, and ensuring children are thriving.

Bottom Line

Home visiting works. It supports families during a critical time, helps prevent child maltreatment, and sets children up for a healthier, brighter future.