Many families throughout the United States use family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care. FFN providers are essential members in the early childhood education (ECE) ecosystem, along with licensed, center-based and home-based care. They provide care that is valued by parents and fill gaps for care in locations with limited licensed ECE programs. However, FFN providers and the strengths and contributions they offer to families and children are often overlooked by policymakers and other stakeholders because they frequently operate outside of the public systems. Home Grown contracted with Mathematica to conduct the Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care project to identify the strengths and limitations of FFN care and the needs of FFN providers. The study also aimed to inform considerations for future measures to assess FFN quality.
Report: Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
Although we celebrate Provider Appreciation Day one day a year, the home-based child care providers who care for our children earn our gratitude and support every single day, every single moment of the year.
Hayley Village, a home-based child care provider in San Mateo County, California, shares her experience with unaffordable housing and what it means to have to relocate her family and her business.
Women’s contributions and experiences are not well represented in the record books, but it is just as rich and worth celebrating. Ours is a tale of community, resilience, and connection to one another, and it is inextricably linked with care work.