Book excerpt: Packed with practical strategies - based on research and the author's continuing field work - the second edition of this guidebook shows therapists, early interventionists, social workers, educators, nurses, and other home visitors how to build trust, communicate respect, and maintain boundaries with families make home visits successful by developing specific communication and interpersonal skills understand the stages of typical child development - and use that knowledge to help families promote the child's sense of self, provide guidance and discipline, develop communication and language, promote learning through play, and more gain fresh perspective, create a support network, and learn new strategies through professional development opportunities Throughout the book, readers follow two home visitors into the homes of diverse families - sharing their triumphs and challenges and learning lessons to use in their own daily work. The mix of personal stories, research, and strategies make this hands-on guide a must-have for any home visitor. New to this edition: Chapters on working with psychologically vulnerable and culturally diverse and bilingual families Information on neurophysiology, emotional regulation, the father's involvement, peer mentoring, SIDS, prematurity, and preventable childhood diseases Updated appendix with a wide variety of resources