Anne Vilen writes about child care, education and mental health from her home in Asheville, North Carolina. Find her on X: @Anne_Vilen

Anne Vilen
Writer
Articles by Anne Vilen
June 18, 2025
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."
May 29, 2025
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.
April 16, 2025
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.
April 2, 2025
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.
March 19, 2025
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.
January 29, 2025
Family child care providers have a unique ability to celebrate special holidays for the children they care for throughout the year. For Lunar New Year 2025, we spotlighted some of the celebrations happening in HBCC around the country.
December 16, 2024
Home-based child care providers share how they rest and care for themselves during the often busy and demanding holiday season.
December 10, 2024
Family child care providers value licensing systems because of how these systems provide accountability and incentivize quality care. In this blog, FCC providers share why they value and respect licensing systems and how that respect can be reciprocated through better representation of providers in those systems.
September 11, 2024
Many leaders credit home-based child care providers with raising them up and saving their careers. In celebration of FFN Appreciation Week, we spoke with three distinguished leaders in the child care sector to hear how their experiences with FFN care shaped who they are today.
September 8, 2024
Deborah Young, a grandmother from Boulder, Colorado, has spent decades caring for children and empowering communities. Her community-driven approach focuses on connection, trust, and collective wisdom to nurture both children and communities. Read more about Deborah's life and work here.
April 17, 2024
Home-based child care providers have to carry additional insurance for their businesses, but obtaining the coverage is not as straightforward — or affordable — as it could be.
April 17, 2024
Los proveedores de cuidado infantil en el hogar deben tener un seguro adicional para sus negocios, pero obtener la cobertura no es tan sencillo ni asequible como podría ser.
March 7, 2024
En honor al Día Mundial del Libro, destacamos tres libros que reconocen que los niños aprenden más de los adultos que se preocupan por ellos, incluidos la familia, los amigos y los vecinos que forman el pueblo que cría a 11,5 millones de niños en Estados Unidos hoy en día.
March 7, 2024
In honor of World Book Day, we are highlighting three books that recognize that children learn most from caring adults, including the family, friends and neighbors who are the village raising 11.5 million kids in America today.
January 30, 2024
Learn how Home Grown's Policy Work Group is working to help inform and shape policies that support home-based child care providers.
December 18, 2023
This season of giving, please join us in asking policymakers to support legislation that provides kids and caregivers with gifts that keep on giving throughout the year. This blog highlights the top five things on Home Grown’s holiday wish list.
December 18, 2023
En esta temporada de generosidad, únase a nosotros para pedir a los legisladores que apoyen leyes que brinden a niños y cuidadores regalos que perduren durante todo el año. Este blog destaca los cinco deseos navideños más importantes de Home Grown.
November 14, 2023
This Thanksgiving, Home Grown is sharing gratitude for the home-based child care providers who keep America working.
September 10, 2023
Deborah Young, abuela de Boulder, Colorado, lleva décadas cuidando niños y empoderando comunidades. Su enfoque comunitario se centra en la conexión, la confianza y la sabiduría colectiva para nutrir tanto a los niños como a las comunidades. Lea más sobre la vida y la obra de Deborah aquí.
June 29, 2023
Quality Influential Professionals (QIP) es una red de cuidado infantil con más de 80 proveedores autorizados a domicilio en Filadelfia. QIP recibió recientemente una inversión considerable de la Fundación William Penn para apoyar a los proveedores de cuidado infantil a domicilio y garantizar que las familias puedan seguir eligiendo el cuidado a domicilio.
June 29, 2023
Quality Influential Professionals (QIP), is a a child care network of more than 80 licensed home-based providers in Philadelphia. QIP was recently granted a sizable investment from the William Penn Foundation to support home-based child care providers and ensure families can keep choosing home-based care.
April 27, 2023
El colectivo Voces desde Casa existe para transformar la narrativa sobre el apoyo a los cuidadores familiares, amigos y vecinos (FFN). Esta iniciativa busca aumentar los recursos para estos cuidadores, en particular mediante su inclusión en la financiación pública y los sistemas de apoyo.
April 27, 2023
The Voices from Home collective exists to shift the narrative around supporting family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers. This initiative works to to increase resources for FFN caregivers, particularly via inclusion in public funding and systems of support.
April 18, 2023
The lack of affordable housing and unfair regulations are significant barriers for home-based child care providers who wish to settle into communities and grow their businesses.
April 18, 2023
La falta de viviendas asequibles y las regulaciones injustas son barreras importantes para los proveedores de cuidado infantil en el hogar que desean establecerse en comunidades y hacer crecer sus negocios.
December 20, 2022
The holidays are a time when many people gather around meals to celebrate the season. Home-based child care providers dish up an extra helping of love with celebratory treats and traditions.
October 13, 2022
The Home Grown Thriving Providers Project, which hopes to inform early childhood policy reforms at both the local and national level through monthly cash payments, is getting national attention for its work.
May 13, 2022
Five former home-based child care attendees - ranging from ages 7 to 34 - share about their experiences and why that time was so transformative and instructive.
March 11, 2022
Research has shown that high-quality home-based child care provides children with significant positive lifetime outcomes. Read more about provider Benu Chhabra.
January 11, 2022
Home-based child care is the best choice for many parents who work non-traditional hours because they are flexible, accessible, and create a nurturing family atmosphere for children.
December 8, 2021
Home-based providers celebrate holidays and the cultural traditions with the families they serve, which strengthens children’s cultural identity and sense of belonging.