Access the NAFCC 2024-2025 Annual Survey Summary here.
Reflecting on the NAFCC 2024-2025 Annual Survey: Key Insights and the Path Ahead
As we move into 2025, the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) continues to advocate for and support the dedicated educators who make a lasting impact on young learners across the nation. Our 2024-2025 Annual Survey provides a snapshot of the family child care (FCC) field, offering invaluable insights into the challenges, successes, and ongoing needs of our educators.
The goals of the 24-25 NAFCC Annual Survey include enabling NAFCC and a broad group of child care stakeholders, including educators, supporting organizations, and policy makers to do the following:
- Better understand how to continue to support the field of home-based child care programs
- Advocate for policies to ensure a sustainable workforce
- Better understand successes, challenges, and gaps
- Ensure becoming a home-based provider is a successful career pathway
With more than 690 respondents, this year’s survey highlights the resilience of our members, their commitment to high-quality care, and the urgent policy concerns that require our collective attention.
The State of Family Child Care: Challenges and Opportunities
This year, we saw a significant increase in survey participation, a 67% jump compared to last year, demonstrating that the NAFCC community is more engaged than ever. Our members, primarily women of color, continue to demonstrate extraordinary commitment to their programs, despite facing challenges related to compensation, access to benefits, and financial stability.
A central theme emerging from the survey is the growing financial vulnerability of family child care educators.
- A staggering 55% of respondents reported that the expiration of ARPA funds had a negative impact on their programs.
- Many educators are working long hours — 82% of survey respondents are now working over 50 hours per week, compared to 53% in 2023.
- Yet, despite these long hours, compensation remains a key concern. Nearly 30% of respondents earn between $7 and $10 per hour, with 50% earning below $15 per hour, well below the value they provide.Additionally, the survey underscores the aging workforce within FCCs, with 66% of respondents over the age of 50.
One educator shared, “It’s difficult to feel valued when I’m working so hard to support children and families, and my pay doesn’t reflect that effort. I want to continue doing this work, but I need to be able to pay my bills too.” This highlights a critical need to invest in the next generation of family child care providers to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
Policy Priorities and the Need for Systemic Change
The survey also reveals the most pressing policy issues for family child care providers. Respondents are calling for better access to health insurance, paid time off, and retirement benefits — issues that are not only critical for the well-being of child care providers but also for the sustainability of the workforce as a whole. Insufficient compensation continues to be a top concern, along with barriers to accessing programs like subsidies and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
There is a strong alignment between these concerns and NAFCC’s Emerging Policy Priorities, including advocacy for policies that address compensation, healthcare, and retirement benefits. We remain committed to ensuring that FCC educators receive the support they deserve, and will continue to push for legislative and policy changes that address these systemic issues.
The Value of Engagement and Support Networks
One of the most encouraging findings from the survey is the positive impact of association and network involvement. Educators who are part of associations like NAFCC report higher levels of engagement with policy advocacy, greater access to subsidies and CACFP, and a stronger sense of support. These providers are also more likely to report that they will continue operating their programs indefinitely, demonstrating the importance of building and maintaining a robust support network for our community.
As we look ahead, NAFCC remains dedicated to strengthening these networks and providing ongoing professional development opportunities. Our members’ commitment to high-quality care is evident, and we are here to ensure they have the tools and resources they need to thrive.
Workforce Aging and the Need for a New Generation
The family child care workforce is aging, with 66% of respondents being over 50 years old, and 30% over 60. This demographic shift underscores the urgent need to build a pipeline of new caregivers. Without this influx, the future of home-based child care is at risk, as more educators retire without enough new providers to take their place.
Another educator noted, “I love this work, but I’m getting older, and it’s hard to think about how I can continue doing it for another 10 years without proper support.”
Membership in Associations and Other FCC Networks Linked to Positive Trends
When looking at survey respondents who report being a member of NAFCC, a child care union, or an affiliate FCC association versus those who report not being a part of any of these organizations, a marked pattern emerges. Namely, FCCs who do participate in associations or child care unions are even more likely to be succeeding in using revenue best practices and operating seemingly more stable child care businesses.
Additionally, FCCs participating in these organizations report a higher likelihood of staying in business indefinitely (44% of those in membership organizations, compared with 32% of those who are not members) and a decreased likelihood of closing their programs’ doors in 10 years or less (46% of those in membership organizations, compared with 59% of those who are not members).
These results may be due to increased knowledge about various revenue streams in which FCCs can participate, benefits of being part of a larger community, and more opportunity to engage in advocacy efforts.
Looking Toward the Future
While the challenges are undeniable, there is hope on the horizon. The survey highlights the passion and resilience of our community, and it is clear that FCC educators are invested in their work and the children they serve. With a focus on strengthening the workforce, improving compensation, and advocating for better policies, NAFCC is committed to helping build a sustainable future for family child care.
The findings from this year’s survey will serve as a foundation for the work ahead, guiding our efforts to advocate for the policies and resources needed to support FCC educators and ensure that the profession remains a viable and rewarding career pathway. Together, we will continue to advocate for meaningful change that supports the educators and families who rely on family child care across the nation.
To see the full scope of our progress and plans for the year ahead, we invite you to explore our NAFCC 2024-2025 Annual Survey Summary.
About NAFCC
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a membership-based nonprofit organization that advocates for and supports family child care providers across the United States. Through professional development, training, and accreditation, NAFCC empowers home-based child care providers to deliver high-quality care to children and families. NAFCC advocates for policies that recognize and support the critical role of family child care in early childhood education.
