This research brief presents findings from a targeted literature review on home-based child care (HBCC) networks that support HBCC providers, including regulated family child care (FCC) providers, and/or family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) providers who are legally-exempt from regulation. The review was conducted by the Erikson Institute to inform the development of the benchmarks and indicators for HBCC networks that are described in the companion brief, Strengthening HBCC Networks: An Evidence-Based Framework for High Quality.
Research Brief: Identifying Practices and Features of High-Quality HBCC Networks
Stephen Cutty, a home-based child care provider in California, is one of a small number of male child care providers. He calls running his business "the greatest experience of [his] life."
Philadelphia-based FCC provider Adrienne Briggs reflects on the success of the 2025 Family Child Care Awareness Day in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and shares why it is important for FCC providers to come together and advocate for what they need.
Family child care (FCC) is often a first choice for families who prefer to keep their children in mixed-aged groups together in one setting. Many states, however, do not include FCCs in their mixed-delivery system which eliminates this option for most parents. This blog post examines why states should consider including FCC in mixed-delivery pre-K systems.