A Message from Our Policy & Public Affairs Director
Dear Family Child Care Advocates,
My journey into family child care began with my 15-year-old mother in Winston-Salem, NC, determined to build a better future. Facing homelessness, she found hope in a program that provided a stipend and child care support, allowing her to finish high school while ensuring her child had access to stable, nurturing care. That opportunity changed everything. Years later, she became a family child care educator, creating a career that sustained her family while supporting others.
FCC educators build the brains of our next generation and are the backbone of early learning. Yet many operate on razor-thin margins, facing low wages, financial insecurity, and limited access to benefits despite serving millions of families. The need for change is urgent—it’s time to invest in and uplift the educators who make child care possible.
In my role as Policy & Public Affairs Director, I work with amazing and dedicated colleagues to ensure that you know what is happening with the state and federal policies that impact you. I also create trainings and programs to ensure that you are outfitted with the tools and self-confidence to make policy change happen. This newsletter is just one of those tools. Inside, you’ll find information on key legislation, leadership opportunities, and ways to amplify your voice in shaping FCC policy.
Your advocacy makes a difference. Thank you for being part of this movement.
With gratitude,
Ronald Jarrett, J.D.
Director of Policy and Public Affairs
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
NAFCC’s Three Key Policy Priorities for 2025
Pocketbook Issues: Ensuring Financial Security for FCC Educators
- Advocating for fair wages, sustainable funding, and access to health insurance.
- Fighting against policies that disproportionately benefit center-based programs while leaving FCC educators behind
Strengthening the FCC Ecosystem in Times of Crisis
- Addressing challenges posed by climate disasters, immigration barriers, and funding instability.
- Ensuring FCC educators have access to emergency relief funding, disaster preparedness resources, and clear pathways for navigating immigration-related workforce challenges.
Expanding Recognition of NAFCC Accreditation at the State Level
- Pushing for widespread adoption of NAFCC Accreditation standards.
- Ensuring accreditation is recognized as a professional benchmark that leads to financial incentives, subsidy eligibility, and workforce advancement.
Legislative Insights: Updates from Washington
The Fight for Better Compensation and Economic Stability
FCC educators face significant economic challenges, including:
- Low pay and financial instability
- Lack of benefits like health insurance and retirement savings
- Unequal funding models that favor centers over home-based programs
🛑 FCC Educators Are Working 50+ Hours a Week for Less Than 40 Hours of Pay.
The NAFCC 2024-2025 Annual Survey revealed that 82% of FCC educators work 50+ hours per week, yet they barely earn compensation for 40 hours. One-third of FCC educators cannot cover rent, utilities, or supplies using their FCC income. As one provider in Connecticut stated:
“We barely get paid for 40 hours. I want legislators to walk in our shoes. We do this because we love it, but we deserve to be paid for the impact we have on children’s lives.”
Policy Updates
1. Government Shutdown & Policy Implications for Child Care Educators
What’s Happening Now
President Trump signed a bill to fund the government through September 2025, avoiding a shutdown that could have disrupted essential services, including programs vital to family child care educators. While the bill maintains previous funding levels with minor adjustments—cutting $13 billion in non-defense spending and increasing defense spending by $6 billion—it does not expand support for early childhood education, housing, or health care, issues critical to family child care educators. Even though this funding agreement does not have the investments we hoped, it cleared the House with strong Republican backing and passed the Senate with significant Democratic opposition.
Potential Impacts on Child Care Educators:
Funding Disruptions: A shutdown could still happen in October 2025, causing delays in federal funding for programs like the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Head Start, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Such delays may force some child care centers to reduce services or temporarily close.
Service Interruptions: Programs reliant on federal grants, such as Head Start, may face immediate challenges. For instance, during the 2013 shutdown, approximately 19,000 children lost access to Head Start services due to funding lapses.
Recommendations for FCC Leaders:
Stay Informed: Monitor updates from federal and state agencies regarding funding statuses and operational guidelines.
Financial Preparedness: Develop contingency plans to manage potential funding delays, including exploring alternative funding sources or adjusting operational budgets.
Advocacy: Engage with local and national advocacy groups to voice concerns and support efforts to prioritize child care funding in legislative discussions.
2. Department of Education Funding & Impact on Family Child Care
What’s Happening Now
The Department of Education is experiencing significant challenges due to ongoing funding disputes. Nearly half of its workforce has been laid off, and there are concerns about potential department closures. In response, the Department of Education Protection Act has been introduced to prevent efforts to dismantle the agency by prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to decentralize or reduce staffing.
Potential Impacts on Family Child Care:
Special Education Services: Funding cuts could disrupt services essential for children with special needs, such as speech and occupational therapy, which many family child care educators integrate into their programs.
Professional Development: Reduced funding may limit training and resources available to educators, affecting the quality of care and early education.
Program Operations: Uncertainty in funding can hinder the planning and sustainability of child care programs, especially those heavily reliant on federal support.
Recommendations for Educators:
Advocacy: Support legislative efforts like the Department of Education Protection Act to ensure the continuity of essential educational services.
Collaboration: Work with local education agencies to find alternative solutions for service delivery in the event of federal disruptions.
Resource Diversification: Seek additional funding opportunities, such as state grants or private partnerships, to mitigate the impact of federal funding uncertainties.
3. Legislative Updates: The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act
Overview:
Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have introduced the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, aiming to provide sustained investments in child care infrastructure. This legislation proposes increased mandatory funding for child care assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and grants to support access to child care in areas of particular need.
Key Provisions:
Increased Funding: The bill seeks to triple the Child Care Entitlement to States to $10 billion per year, enhancing the capacity to serve more families.
Workforce Support: Allocates resources to improve compensation, training, and support for the child care workforce, recognizing their critical role in early childhood development.
Access Expansion: Provides grants to increase the availability of child care services, particularly in underserved areas, ensuring families have access to affordable, high-quality care.
Implications for Family Child Care Educators:
Enhanced Support: Increased funding can lead to better resources and support for family child care Educators, improving service quality.
Professional Development: Access to grants and funding for training can enhance Educators’ skills and career development opportunities.
Community Impact: Expanding child care access strengthens community infrastructure, supporting working families and local economies.
Recommendations for Educators:
Stay Informed: Keep abreast of legislative developments to understand potential impacts on your operations and opportunities for support.
Engage in Advocacy: Participate in advocacy efforts to support legislation that benefits the child care sector and addresses the needs of Educators and families.
Prepare for Opportunities: Anticipate new funding opportunities and prepare to apply for grants or programs that can enhance your services.
State Policy Watch
Licensing Reform: Monitoring changes in licensing standards.
Recent policy discussions at both the state and federal levels indicate a growing movement to reform child care licensing. While some reforms can streamline administrative burdens and improve access, others risk harmful deregulation that undermines quality and safety. As your state considers reforms, we wanted to share that NAFCC’s Quality Standards are useful evidence based, FCC backed standards that protect children and set the gold standard for FCC programs.
The Deregulation Debate
Several states, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho, have proposed loosening caregiver-to-child ratios and reducing educator qualification requirements in an attempt to cut costs.
Risks of Deregulation:
- Increased group sizes without sufficient staffing compromises child safety.
- Eliminating basic training requirements (such as CPR certification) threatens program quality.
- Policies allowing younger, untrained caregivers to work unsupervised undervalue professional FCC educators.
The Right Approach to Licensing Reform
Rather than harmful deregulation, NAFCC supports licensing changes that make it easier—not harder—for FCC educators to operate sustainably.
- Streamlining administrative paperwork and monitoring processes without sacrificing quality.
- Aligning licensing standards with NAFCC Accreditation so that providers are not forced to meet redundant or conflicting requirements.
- Providing regulatory flexibility that accounts for the unique needs of home-based settings rather than applying one-size-fits-all rules designed for larger centers.
In Maryland, a proposed bill (HB 477) sought to increase the number of infants a family child care provider could care for in an effort to expand child care access. While the intent was positive, Maryland FCC leaders voiced strong concerns about the safety risks of raising the infant ratio too high. In testimony before the state legislature, Ruby Daniels, President of the Maryland State Family Child Care Association, highlighted the dangers of a 1:4 provider-infant ratio for children under one year old, particularly in emergency situations.
“In an emergency evacuation scenario, such as a fire or natural disaster, one provider cannot safely carry four infants under one year old at the same time. Toddlers 18 months and older are developmentally able to walk and follow an adult’s guidance, but infants require physical carrying. A more realistic and responsible approach would be to limit the number of infants under one year old to two per provider, ensuring that every child can be safely evacuated without undue risk to both the provider and the children.”
She advocated for a balanced approach—increasing access while ensuring safety remains a priority.
Read the full Maryland testimony here.
Final Thoughts: Elevating FCC as the Heart of the Child Care System
Family Child Care educators are more than caregivers—they are early learning professionals, small business owners, and community anchors. The policy choices made in 2025 will determine whether FCC educators receive the respect, support, and funding they deserve.
By advocating for smart investments, fair compensation, and meaningful licensing reforms, we can ensure that FCC remains a viable, high-quality option for families across the country.
Stay Informed. Stay Engaged. Make Your Voice Heard.
Understanding Tax Policy for Family Child Care
On February 11, family child care educators joined an insightful session unpacking the latest tax policies affecting home-based child care businesses. Expert speakers Amy K. Matsui (National Women’s Law Center) and Leticia Mederos (Actum LLC) shared key insights on recent federal tax proposals and the budget reconciliation process, breaking down what these changes mean for FCC educators and future funding.
If you missed the discussion or want to revisit the key takeaways, you can access the recording here:
🔗 Watch the Webinar Here
🔑 Passcode: 0HuR@gD+
Stay informed and connected as we continue advocating for policies that support FCC educators and small business sustainability!
Advocacy in Action: We Are Family Child Care at the Wisconsin State Capitol
On January 23, 2025, Corrine Hendrickson hosted a screening of We Are Family Child Care at the Wisconsin State Capitol, with Sen. Kelda Roys (Joint Finance Committee) and Rep. Jacobson co-hosting. Six additional Democratic legislators attended.
Beyond the Capitol, WECAN educators and the Wisconsin Child Care Administrators Association streamed the film, reaching 30 leaders. Corrine has since shared it with all 133 state legislators, and the Department of Children and Families is reviewing it internally.
Read more about Wisconsin’s child care policy efforts in the Wisconsin Examiner: With the new budget year, Evers and advocates try again to garner major state child care support.
Applications are Now Open: NAFCC Policy Fellowship for LSL Alumni
The NAFCC Policy Fellowship Program is a 10-month opportunity for Leaders Shaping Leaders (LSL) alumni to deepen their policy advocacy skills and influence early childhood education policies at the state and national levels. Fellows will gain hands-on experience in policy analysis, advocacy, and coalition-building to advance family child care.
📅 Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Finalists will be invited for a virtual interview. For questions, contact Ronald Jarrett: rjarrett@nafcc.org
