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Model Profiles

Baby TALK

Baby TALK is a family engagement model built upon infant-mental health principles to provide a framework for intentional and individualized engagement with families. The Baby TALK mission is to positively impact child development and nurture healthy and responsive relationships during the early, critical years. Family engagement programs and professionals build strong relationships with families to support healthy child development, nurturing family-child relationships, and family well-being and growth. Baby TALK’s philosophy emphasizes working alongside families and valuing them as experts on their children.

What is the model’s approach to providing home visiting services?

Visits take place at least twice per month, and families may receive weekly visits when appropriate. Baby TALK recommends that families initiate services prenatally, though they may enroll at any point before the child turns 5 years old.

Baby TALK serves all families with young children. Program funding sources may define a specific service population.

Who is implementing the model?

Home Visitors

Baby TALK was implemented by 156 home visitors in 2024. The model strongly recommends a bachelor’s degree and requires Baby TALK certification for home visitors. Home visitors usually serve 12–24 families.

Supervisors

Baby TALK was implemented by 45 supervisors in 2024. The model requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience working with young children and families for supervisors.

Where is the model implemented?

Baby TALK operated in 53 local agencies across 11 states and the District of Columbia in 2024.

 

Families Served Through Home Visiting in 2024

65,819
home visits provided
including 5,062 virtual visits
1,983
families served
2,315
children served

Ethnicity

22% Hispanic or Latino

78% Not Hispanic or Latino

Caregiver age

8% ≤21 years

35% 22-29 years

51% 30-44 years

7% ≥45 years

Caregiver education

19% No HS diploma

38% HS diploma or GED

26% Some college or training

18% Bachelor's degree or higher

Household income

80% Low-income status

20% Not low-income status

Primary language

80% English

15% Spanish

5% Another language

Child insurance status

74% Public

24% Private

2% None

Child age

24% <1 year

35% 1-2 years

41% 3-5 years

Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. • To protect confidentiality, race and ethnicity categories with 10 or fewer participants were replaced with *. • Participant data reflect services provided in Illinois.