April was an eventful and empowering month for the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), as team members and NAFCC members embarked on a journey of advocacy, collaboration, and recognition within early childhood education. From prestigious White House gatherings to impactful state-level conferences, each event was crafted to uplift and amplify the voices of family child care educators.
From the desk of the Executive Director
Erica Phillips, executive director of NAFCC, recently attended an event at the White House and the US Treasury, focusing on Child Care Workers Appreciation Month. The event was led by key figures such as Jennifer Klein, Director of the Gender Policy Council; Neera Tanden, Domestic Policy Advisor; and Heather Boushey, Chief Economist of the Investing in America Cabinet. They were joined by senior staff from the Department of the Treasury.
This event fostered collaboration between child care educators and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to enhance access to affordable, high-quality child care services. Attendees included child care educators, representatives from CDFIs, and both local and national leaders.
Speakers included LaTonta Godboldt, an NAFCC Accredited Educator, and Sylvia Crews, an educator from DC FCC.
Erica also attended the Voice of Organized Independent Childcare Educators (CSEA/VOICE) conference in New York. While there she met up with NAFCC members and partners.
Membership
Beth Hart and Deetra Stewart, both NAFCC Nevada State representatives and Leaders Shaping Leaders Fellows, are the founders of the recently established Nevada Family Child Care Association. They participated in the Nevada National Association for the Education of Young Children annual conference at the Nugget Resort Casino in Sparks, NV.
Professional Development
Dezire’e Mattocks, Director of Professional Development, was invited by Marica Cox Mitchell from the Bainum Family Foundation to attend and present at the DC Early EDX Conference in Washington, DC. Dezire’e represented home-setting programs and delivered a presentation titled “Level-Up! High-Impact Teaching Practices for Early Childhood Educators.” This session provided an excellent opportunity to share valuable insights into high-impact teaching practices tailored for early childhood educators, with a focus on benefiting family child care educators.
NAFCC also attended the Professional Family Child Care Alliance of Georgia (PFCCAG) 7th Statewide Family Child Care Conference in Atlanta, GA.
Partnerships
The Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC) recently held its annual conference on April 5th and 6th. Zakenya P. Neely, Director of Strategic Partnerships, attended this event with a clear objective: to foster connections with family child care educators and allied agencies, underlining the collective influence and significance of family child care.
INAEYC and NAFCC have established a strong partnership aimed at supporting and advancing the profession of family child care across Indiana. This collaboration emphasizes the commitment of both organizations to promote quality early childhood education and recognize the vital role that family child care educators play in nurturing young minds.
For partnership inquiries and opportunities, please contact Zakenya at zneely@nafcc.org.
