Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) providers represent the largest non-parental child care sector in the United States, with the numbers of providers and children in these care settings far outnumbering licensed family child care (FCC) or center-based settings. Yet despite the prevalence, little is known about the types of supports and resources that FFN providers value and the ways that home-based child care networks (“networks”) tailor support for this population of caregivers. This report highlights intentional network strategies to enhance opportunities for FFN providers, specifically, as well as the experiences of FFN providers who receive resources and supports from networks.
Promising Practices for High-Quality HBCC Networks: Supporting Family, Friend, and Neighbor Providers
Home-based child care providers share feedback and insight on their experiences with legislative visits during the 2025 August recess.
Families and child care providers are being squeezed as pandemic-era supports expire and federal funding stalls. Across the country, home-based providers are struggling to stay open amid lower reimbursements and rising costs. Without stronger federal investment in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), tens of thousands of children could lose access to care.
Carmela is a family, friend and neighbor caregiver who is proud of her Hispanic heritage. Learn more about how her Hispanic heritage shapes her work as a HBCC caregiver in this blog.