Blogs and Articles

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The Case for Home-Based: Why States Should Consider Inclusion of Family Child Care Homes in Mixed Delivery Pre-K Systems

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.
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Healthy-Me Practices for Mental Wellness

Mental health is especially challenging and important during times of great uncertainty. In this blog post, home-based providers and caregivers share their healthy practices toward positive mental wellness.
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Parents Champion Home-Based Child Care

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Improving Child Care Licensing By Listening and Partnering with Family Child Care Providers

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Making Sense of This Moment: How Is Home-Based Child Care Doing 100 Days Into the Trump Administration?

In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, we saw sweeping changes to many aspects of American policy and many more have been proposed. This blog post lays out key information to support you in making sense of this moment and taking action to protect yourself and your community and to impact the outcome of the proposed actions. 
Gunawardena Family Child Care in Altadena, California after the Los Angelos fires.

Up in Flames: It’s a Long, Hard Road to Recovery for Altadena Family Child Care Providers

In January 2025, Home-based child care Francisca Gunawardena provider lost everything in the Los Angeles fires. Today, Francisca is still trying to figure out how to move forward.
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Inspiring A Passion for Nature Through Play in Home-based Child Care

Early childhood educators, including home-based child care providers, around the nation are exploring ways to bring the natural world to life as a classroom for children. We spoke with three providers who shared how they incorporate nature-based play in their programs.
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A Love letter and a Wake-Up Call’: Documentary Films About Child Care Warm Hearts and Spark Action

Home Grown takes a look at how documentaries are changing the narrative about child care work and inspiring policy and regulatory reform. This blog takes a look at two new documentaries Make a Circle and At Home/In Home: Rural Alaska Child Care in Crisis.
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Remembering Maritza Manrique

Home Grown remembers Maritza Manrique, a fierce early childhood education advocate, a home-based child care provider and a member of the Home Grown Policy Workgroup.
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Supporting HBCC With Tax Policy

To support home-based child care with tax policy, there are opportunities for organizations to make federal policy asks or for local governments to replicate some existing, successful programs.
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Home Grown Values Sustain Positive Change in the Years Ahead

Home Grown’s new values statement underscores the organization’s commitment to reimagining child care policies and systems through collaboration with home-based providers and the communities they serve. Read more.
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Uplifting Community Cultural Wealth in Black Communities

Black and Brown communities have historically relied on home-based child care as a form of community cultural wealth and resilience even though this work has been consistently undervalued due to systemic inequities. Recognizing the strengths of providers and caregivers and investing in culturally rooted solutions can help shift the power in decision-making and help strengthen and support home-based child care.