(a) Setting. The home-based option delivers the full range of services, consistent with §1302.20(b), through visits with the child's parents, primarily in the child's home and through group socialization opportunities in a Head Start classroom, community facility, home, or on field trips. For Early Head Start programs, the home-based option may be used to deliver services to some or all of a program’s enrolled children. For Head Start Preschool programs, the home-based option may only be used to deliver services to a portion of a program’s enrolled children.

(b) Caseload. A program that implements a home-based option must maintain an average caseload of 10 to 12 families per home visitor with a maximum of 12 families for any individual home visitor.

(c) Service duration.

(1) Early Head Start. By August 1, 2017, an Early Head Start home-based program must:

(i) Provide one home visit per week per family that lasts at least an hour and a half and provide a minimum of 46 visits per year; and,

(ii) Provide, at a minimum, 22 group socialization activities distributed over the course of the program year.

(2) Head Start Preschool. A Head Start Preschool home-based program must:

(i) Provide one home visit per week per family that lasts at least an hour and a half and provide a minimum of 32 visits per year; and,

(ii) Provide, at a minimum, 16 group socialization activities distributed over the course of the program year.

(3) Meeting minimum requirements. A program that implements a home-based option must:

 (i) Make up planned home visits or scheduled group socialization activities that were canceled by the program, and to the extent possible attempt to make up planned home visits canceled by the family, when this is necessary to meet the minimums described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section; and,

(ii) Not replace home visits or scheduled group socialization activities for medical or social service appointments for the purposes of meeting the minimum requirements described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section.

(d) Safety requirements. The areas for learning, playing, sleeping, toileting, preparing food, and eating in facilities used for group socializations in the home-based option must meet the safety standards described in §1302.47(1)(ii) through (viii).