Resources for Building Comprehensive Networks

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the need for child care as infrastructure. As families juggled work, job loss, and distance learning, all while taking care of children, we’ve seen something grow in America: the reliance on, respect for, and recognition of home-based child care (HBCC). Yet HBCC remains woefully under-resourced.

Now as federal relief dollars begin to flow to the states and additional legislation is on the horizon, our country has the resources to build lasting infrastructure in the form of comprehensive networks to support HBCC providers and the families they serve.

What are comprehensive networks for home-based child care providers?

Comprehensive networks are the connective tissue that joins individual home-based providers to each other and to system infrastructure, including funding and policy.

Learn more about comprehensive networks
A young girl slices cucumbers while an older woman prepares salad in a kitchen with fresh vegetables.

Unlocking Nutritional Support: A Potential New Pathway for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers to Access the Food Program in Colorado

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Two adults smile in a kitchen while children sit at a table in the background near a glass door.

From the Hill to their Homes: HBCC Provider Leaders Share Their Stories with Policymakers During the 2025 August Recess

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Home-based child care providers share feedback and insight on their experiences with legislative visits during the 2025 August recess.
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Wooden toy trains on tracks near a station, traffic light, trees, and a toy figure in a blue uniform.

Child Care at Risk: How Federal Funding Cuts—and Government Shut Down— Hurts Families and Home-Based Providers

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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.
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