National Association for Family Child Care

National Association for Family Child Care
Name	National Association for Family Child Care
Formation	1970s
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	United States
Region served	United States
Membership	Family child care providers

National Association for Family Child Care

The National Association for Family Child Care is a United States nonprofit membership organization that represents family child care providers, home-based early childhood practitioners, and small business operators. Founded amid policy debates in the 1970s and 1980s connected to federal funding reforms, the association engages with legislative, administrative, and professional networks to influence child care policy and practice. It collaborates with national institutions, state associations, and philanthropic entities to provide resources, training, and advocacy for licensed and regulated home-based providers.

History

The association traces roots to grassroots organizing influenced by debates around the Child Care and Development Block Grant and the expansion of Head Start during the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, with practitioner networks often modeled after state groups such as California Child Care Resource & Referral Network and regional coalitions like the Midwest Child Care Resource Center. Early leadership included advocates who had previously worked with Children's Defense Fund, National Women's Law Center, and coalitions formed in response to the Family and Medical Leave Act debates. The organization's growth paralleled congressional action on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and administrative initiatives under Department of Health and Human Services secretaries who prioritized early care. Over decades the association has engaged with national stakeholders including National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Head Start Association, and state associations in New York (state), Texas, Florida, and Ohio to professionalize family child care and respond to licensing reforms promoted by courts such as the Supreme Court of the United States in regulatory contexts.

Mission and Activities

The association's mission emphasizes quality home-based care, economic stability for providers, and equitable access for children, aligning it with national efforts by organizations like Annie E. Casey Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and Ford Foundation on child well-being. Activities include producing best-practice guidelines informed by research from institutions such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University's teacher preparation programs, while coordinating with policy groups like Bipartisan Policy Center and think tanks including Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. The group publishes newsletters and position statements shared with officials in United States Congress, federal agencies like Administration for Children and Families, and statewide departments such as California Department of Social Services and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises licensed family child care providers, family child care networks, and allied professionals with ties to associations such as National Domestic Workers Alliance, American Academy of Pediatrics, and state-level child care resource and referral agencies. Governance follows nonprofit models used by organizations like National Council of Nonprofits and boards similar to those of Public Policy Institute of California and Council for a Strong America, with elected officers, an executive director, and committees focused on standards, finance, and public policy. Annual meetings mirror conferences organized by National Head Start Association and National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the association collaborates with legal counsel experienced in regulatory matters before agencies such as the Office of Management and Budget.

Programs and Professional Development

The association offers credentialing pathways, training series, and business supports influenced by curricula from Erikson Institute, Bank Street College of Education, and HighScope Educational Research Foundation. Programs include coaching models similar to those promoted by Early Head Start and quality-rating supports comparable to state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems initiatives implemented in states like Washington (state), Minnesota, and Georgia (U.S. state). Professional development events feature speakers from institutions such as Yale University, University of Michigan, and Vanderbilt University and provide continuing education in partnership with credential providers recognized by National Association for the Education of Young Children and licensing bodies in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

Advocacy priorities focus on reimbursement rates, background check policies, and regulatory flexibility, engaging with legislative processes in United States Congress and administrative rulemaking at Department of Health and Human Services and state agencies like Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The association has submitted comments on proposed rules influenced by litigation and policy dialogues involving AARP on workforce issues, Economic Policy Institute analyses of care economies, and budget proposals reviewed by Congressional Budget Office. It participates in coalitions with Voices for Virginia's Children, Children's Defense Fund affiliates, and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act advocates to elevate home-based provider concerns in national debates about child welfare and labor standards.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources include membership dues, foundation grants from organizations such as MacArthur Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation of New York, and contracts with state agencies for technical assistance, akin to partnerships held by Child Care Resource & Referral agencies. Collaborative projects have been funded through initiatives with Philanthropy Roundtable partners, federal discretionary grants from the Administration for Children and Families, and research collaborations with universities like Georgetown University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Strategic partnerships extend to workforce intermediaries such as Jobs for the Future and national nonprofits including YWCA USA and United Way Worldwide to coordinate provider supports, emergency response, and continuity of care programs.

Category:Child care in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States