Access the NAFCC 2024 Impact Report here.
As we step into 2025, the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) proudly reflects on a year of remarkable progress and prepares to take bold steps toward a future where family child care educators are recognized as essential leaders in early childhood education. In 2024, our community grew stronger, our advocacy efforts gained momentum, and educators were equipped with innovative tools and resources to thrive.
Inspiring Advocacy to Amplify Educator Voices
In 2024, NAFCC’s advocacy efforts reached new heights. From the “August Advocacy in Action” initiative to the collective push for $16 billion in emergency supplemental funding for child care, family child care educators made their voices heard. These efforts emphasized the critical role of FCC educators—not only as caregivers but as essential contributors to the workforce and society at large.
These initiatives exemplify NAFCC’s mission to empower educators to lead policy changes that create meaningful impact for children, families, and communities.
“The greatest impact of NAFCC has been to take all of my learning back home to Nevada. NAFCC is more than an organization – it is a network of providers from other states who share their voice, perspectives and ideas. We hear how providers in other states have dealt with challenges. Those are the stories we need to hear. They made it through the struggle and it makes a difference to see what can be done. Although we may be miles apart, we are all connected.
At the end of the day, we start with family. I am proud to be a family child care provider. We have created a voice for family child care and brought together home-based child care in the state of Nevada. Through the network with NAFCC, I see “Dreams can come true. You’re not in this alone. You have a voice.”
-Deetra Stewart, President Family Child Care Association of Nevada, Leaders Shaping Leaders Fellowship Alumni
Strengthening the FCC Community
In 2024, NAFCC continued its mission to grow and engage its membership base, reflecting the increasing recognition of its value to family child care educators nationwide.
The organization saw a remarkable 23 percent increase in membership, welcoming 1,577 new members into its community. Additionally, NAFCC expanded support for it’s Affiliate Network to 18 FCC-led organizations across the country. We hosted special “Meet and Greet” events in 14 cities throughout the year to bring together FCC educators from across the countryThis growth underscores the expanding awareness of the support, advocacy, and resources NAFCC provides to family child care professionals.
We also collaborated with our partners to improve benefits for members. This includes new discounts on health care services, technology and education through partners like CuramLife, Walden University and Log A Tot. You can learn more about our member benefits here.
“We just saw the ‘Connector’ digital catalog on the website. This is really our first year as a full-time member with NAFCC. These benefits are great”
Christina Brown, Overcomer Kids 3E’s, Florida FCC Educator
Recognizing Excellence in FCC Through Accreditation
Additionally, we saw a 10 percent increase in NAFCC accredited educators. NAFCC Accreditation remains the gold standard in family child care, setting educators apart as leaders in quality and professionalism. With its rigorous, research-based benchmarks, the program provides a clear and comprehensive path for family child care educators to showcase their commitment to excellence. Designed specifically by and for family child care professionals, NAFCC Accreditation ensures consistency, clarity, and a deep understanding of the unique needs of home-based providers.
“My involvement with NAFCC, starting with becoming accredited, has built my confidence in myself to be the voice for FCC providers in Montana. When I started advocating, I realized I was the only FCC provider speaking up but we all have a voice and a stake in decision making. So I connected with a colleague of mine to participate in the Leaders Shaping Leaders fellowship. Through that program, we created the Montana FCC Network. We have been able to bring together family child care & family, friend and neighbor providers for a statewide conference, accreditation support and peer mentorship, which has been very rewarding. Without NAFCC’s support, we wouldn’t be where we are now.”
-Sheryl Hutzenbiler, NAFCC State Representative, Montana; President – Montana Family Childcare Network, Leaders Shaping Leaders Fellowship Alumni, Accreditation Council Member, Accredited Educator of the Year – 2024
“NAFCC has helped me in my professional growth and in bettering the quality of my program. As an accredited family child care educator, I serve as a model for quality to other educators and as an advocate for families accessing quality child care here in Connecticut.”
-Maria Amado, CT State Representative, Accredited Educator of the Year 2023
Tools and Support for Success
At the heart of NAFCC’s mission is a commitment to professional development. In 2024, we expanded our efforts to meet educators where they are, both figuratively and literally, with a robust calendar of events, training, partnering with Stanford University on FIND-PD free workshops for FCC educators, and outreach designed to elevate the field and support professional growth. Strategic partnerships with organizations like the CDA Council, FIND-PD, and Log A Tot provided FCC educators strengthened NAFCC’s mission to empower educators and ensure high-quality care for children nationwide.
These are just a few highlights from 2024:
- Membership Growth: 23%
- Reports, Blogs & OpEds Published: 40+
- Overall NAFCC Network – FCC Champions and Educators Supported: 56,103
- Growth in Accredited Educators: 10%
- Children Reached: 43,000+
Vision for 2025
NAFCC is kicking off 2025 with a renewed focus, propelled by a dynamic strategic plan aimed at advancing our mission to support family child care educators. The moment is now for NAFCC to embark on a new strategy. First, there is a pressing and timely need for a strong national organization focused on unleashing the power of family child care. Through our deep relationships with FCC educators, we see significant opportunities to transform NAFCC’s programs, expand the organization’s reach, and chart a bold path for NAFCC’s future.
NAFCC’s achievements in 2024 reflect the collective efforts of educators, partners, and supporters who are dedicated to advancing family child care.
To see the full scope of our progress and plans for the year ahead, we invite you to explore our 2024 Impact Report.
