Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

COVID-19 Impact

Milwaukee children, especially children of color and children from low-income and impoverished communities, are safe, cared for, and supported academically, socially, and developmentally during and beyond this public health crisis. When more Milwaukee parents begin going back to work, they have access to child care.

Emergency Fund

The Home Grown Child Care Emergency Fund was complemented by funding from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation in the amount of $250,000. Collectively, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association awarded $350,000 to 140 licensed child care providers in the lowest income neighborhoods of Milwaukee. Specifically, grant awards in the amount of $2,500 were provided to 90 home-based providers and 50 group centers within the five target zip codes serving the highest concentrations of Black and Latinx children.

Home Grown is a national collaborative of funders committed to improving the quality of and access to home-based child care with a mission to increase access to and the quality of home-based child 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."
Philadelphia-based FCC provider Adrienne Briggs reflects on the success of the 2025 Family Child Care Awareness Day in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and shares why it is important for FCC providers to come together and advocate for what they need.
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.