Home Visits
Home visits focus on the parent-child interaction. These sessions provide an opportunity to explore your child’s growth and development. A specialist (developmental specialist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or speech language therapist) will come to your home to work with you and your child in the child’s natural environment. Sessions may focus on the child’s daily routines and activities (eating, sleeping, or playing).
We provide parents support and education to promote their child’s growth and development and ideas to stimulate and further develop their strengths. Educational handouts may be provided. Home visits are offered through both the Infant Learning Program (ILP) and Parents as Teachers (PAT) programs.
Weekly Playgroups
Come and meet other parents as you and your children play together. Groups are typically arranged by age so your child has the opportunity to play with children at similar developmental levels.
All playgroups cost $3.00 per group; first group is FREE.
Homer: Located at the Sprout Office Anchor Point: Located at Chapman School
10am – 11am : 12 – 24 months 10am – 11am : All ages
11:15am – 12:15am: 24 – 36 months
Resource Lending Library
Check out our lending library where you can borrow toys, equipment, books, DVDs, or CDs for one month at a time to help you better understand your child and to make parenting easier!
Fill out a borrowers agreement and you can order items for check-out right away! Pick-up is on Fridays and we will hold your items for up to one week before someone else can check them out. Cost is $20.00 per year.
Child Find
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Screening/Mail Out Program
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Audio/Visual Screenings
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Child Find – Community event held each spring; open to the public; includes audio/visual and developmental screenings.
Infant Learning Program
The Infant Learning Program is a partnership with families who may need services for their infants or toddlers at risk or with developmental delays and/or disabilities. Early intervention may help you understand your child’s development and find and access services for your child.
Services for your child may include:
- Developmental screening and evaluation
- An individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) to outline goals and services families want for their children
- Information for families to better understand their child’s developmental strengths and needs
- Home visits to help the family or caregivers guide their children in learning new skills
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy to help families support their child with daily activities
- Specialized equipment and resources to promote development
- Assistance in getting other specialized services and care families need.
Early intervention/infant learning services are designed to help eligible infants and toddlers reach their fullest level of development and enhance the family’s capacity to support and promote their infant or toddler’s development.
Find out more about Alaska Infant Learning Program/Early Intervention by clicking here.
Developmental Evaluation
This is like a screening, but goes into more depth to answer questions about your child’s overall development. The evaluation team consists of you and your family members, friends you wish to include, and qualified Sprout staff. Developmental Evaluations are typically performed on a yearly basis, unless requested more often by parents or providers.
Evaluations by other Specialists:
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Speech-Language Therapist : Looks at communication skills (understanding, gesturing, talking) and how children use their mouths and tongues for forming words and eating.
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An Occupational Therapist : Looks at how children use their hands, eyes and mouths for eating and swallowing and how their senses are responding to what is happening around them.
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A Physical Therapist : Looks at muscle tone and strength, how children move their bodies and the position of their feet for walking.
Service Coordination
There may be other services that would be helpful for you and your family. The staff can help you find what best meets your needs and coordinate with everyone so that it is not overwhelming to you. When your child turns three, staff will help you make the transition to the school district preschool services, Head Start, private preschools or home, depending on your childs needs and your wishes.
Therapy Visits
Therapy visits are provided by a team of developmental experts including the occupational therapist, the speech language therapist, the physical therapist, and the developmental specialist. The team members will travel to your home, your child’s daycare, or other community sites to provide therapy services to qualifying children.
