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
Announcing the Enriching Public Pre-K Through Inclusion of Family Child Care (EPIC FCC) initiative
The EPIC FCC initiative seeks to support state, city, county and tribal government leaders in expanding the participation of family child care (FCC) educators in their pre-K systems or engaging FCC educators in these pre-K systems for the first time. Home Grown is committed to ensuring that home-based child care providers can fully participate in well-resourced early childhood initiatives, including pre-K. Learn more and apply.
Annual CACFP Reimbursement Rate Adjustment Does Not Close the Cost Gap: Home-based Child Care Programs Need More Than Pennies
The annual CACFP reimbursement rate increase is insufficient to meet the needs of home-based child care providers. With only a 1% increase for home-based providers, the rising costs of groceries continue to strain their budgets. This modest adjustment fails to cover the expenses of providing nutritious meals to children. Advocacy for more robust and sustained investment in the CACFP is essential to ensure that providers can offer high-quality care and nutrition.