FACTS ABOUT FAMILY CHILD CARE

Quality and Family Child Care

Early childhood experts agree that very young children thrive when they receive care in small groups, in a homelike environment, in a stable, loving relationship with the same caregiver over a long period of time. All of these elements are inherently present in family child care.

Professionalism and Experience

Surveys show that the average family child care provider in California has over nine years of experience and a higher education than the overall population. Over 20% of family child care providers have college degrees, about 40% have Child Development units and many more regularly participate in professional workshops, trainings and conferences.

Getting Children Ready for School

Because family child care providers care for infants and toddlers, they have a profound and far reaching influence on the children's ability to learn and to succeed in school. As much as ninety percent of brain's development and abilities are established within the first three years of life. Language structure, for example, is largely acquired within the first two years of life and it requires a nurturing and interactive relationship between the child and his or her primary caregiver. Family child care providers who care for 2 to 5 year olds almost always include school readiness curricula in their programs.

Safety & Health

Family child care providers are licensed and monitored by the Community Care Licensing Division of the Department of Social Service. They must have a criminal clearance, current children's CPR and First Aid certificates and take an additional 15 hours of Health & Safety training. The majority also participate in a federal nutrition program.

Meeting the Needs of Working Families

The great majority of parents who use family child care are young parents who need safe, stable and high quality care for their children while they are at work or in work training programs. Family child care providers accommodate these parents in numerous ways. Many family child care providers offer care during non traditional hours including early morning, evenings, overnight and weekends. Siblings can receive care together. School age children often go to their family child care home before and after school, during school holidays and vacations. This provides continuity for the children as well as peace of mind for the parents.

Social Support System

A small village atmosphere is created around the family child care home. Because family child care providers live and work in the same neighborhoods as the families they serve, they are very often culturally, linguistically and philosophically compatible with the families they serve. The relationships formed often last through the child's adult years. Experienced providers also serve as mentors and advisers for new parents.
Providers offer essential support to many parents in low income neighborhoods as they move from welfare to work or face the challenges of immigration.

Commitment to Children, Families and the Community

Along with their skills, talents and educational backgrounds, family child care providers bring a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment to young children and families. In addition to their work with young children, they strengthen the entire community in many ways. They own and operate small businesses and provide for their own families, employ and train assistants, prepare children for school and life and contribute to the community's economic health.

Affordability

Family child care is the most cost effective licensed child care option, especially for infants and toddlers. In fact, more than 95% of infants who are in licensed facilities are in family child care homes.

How Many Family Child Care Providers Are There?

There are over 40,000 licensed family child care providers in California. They offer care and education to about 300,000 of California's children.