Anne Vilen

Grandparents are unsung heroes of home-based child care. Millions of grandparents are stepping up all across the U.S. to provide primary care for their grandchildren. Stories like Tracy Owen, Natalie Whitesides, and Maria Buehler show how grandparents balance work, retirement, or other responsibilities while providing loving care.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Home-based child care providers share how they rest and care for themselves during the often busy and demanding holiday season.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Learn how Home Grown's Policy Work Group is working to help inform and shape policies that support home-based child care providers.

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.

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.

This Thanksgiving, Home Grown is sharing gratitude for the home-based child care providers who keep America working.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Research has shown that high-quality home-based child care provides children with significant positive lifetime outcomes. Read more about provider Benu Chhabra.

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.

Home-based providers celebrate holidays and the cultural traditions with the families they serve, which strengthens children’s cultural identity and sense of belonging.