Family child care homes and pre-K
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There’s a moment that sticks with me from when Liz and I traveled to Multnomah County, Oregon, in Nov. 2023 to learn about their Preschool For All initiative. We were sitting in a conference room with an array of people who were involved in getting the program approved by voters when we learned that family child care homes (FCCHs) were eligible to participate in this universal, publicly-funded, mixed-delivery pre-K program.
One of us, I think Liz, shared with the group that in North Carolina, our public pre-K program — NC Pre-K, which is not universal and only reaches about half of eligible 4-year-olds — does not include FCCHs. It’s the next part that stuck with me.
“Why?” asked a parent advocate who’d been instrumental in the grassroots effort to bring this universal pre-K program to life.
We stumbled. We shared some general information about the program that didn’t really answer the question.
“Okay, I hear you — but why though?” I remember the mom asking us.
Finally we were like, “Uh, great question. We should probably learn more about that.”
You can read some of our takeaways from that visit here, but that “why” has been pinging around my brain ever since. And it turns out I’m not alone.
Durham PreK is part of the inaugural cohort of the Enriching Public Pre-K Through Inclusion of Family Child Care (EPIC FCC) initiative, facilitated by the National Institute of Early Education Research and in partnership with Home Grown. The initiative seeks to support leaders interested in introducing or expanding the participation of FCCH educators in public pre-K systems. You can read about some early results from the project here, with more to come on Durham PreK’s participation this fall.
Over the past year, Chunyi Xu, a student at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, worked on a version of this question for her master’s project, with EdNC as her client. As part of the project, she developed recommendations for North Carolina if we want to consider incorporating FCCHs into NC Pre-K, including:
- Designing evidence-based curriculum with teaching practices adaptable to the mixed-age setting
- Implementing a per-child funding formula with equal reimbursement rate for all providers to ensure FCCH providers’ financial stability
- Offering free, language-accessible, flexible professional development sessions, and individualized coaching opportunities for FCCH providers to ensure the quality alignment of child care and opportunities to advance their careers
- Leveraging existing local home-based provider networks (such as MDC and other local networks supported by the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation) to connect with providers more efficiently and facilitate program implementation
These recommendations are based on qualitative research interviews with a wide variety of stakeholders in North Carolina, in addition to case studies on existing FCCH-inclusive public pre-K models in Boston, Seattle, and Oregon. You can access Xu’s full report here.
And Liz is taking a deep dive on the Southwestern Child Development Commission’s work to both open new family child care programs and create a statewide system of support for family child care. Look out for that story this week.
In addition to sharing so much of what we’ve learned about the value that family child care brings to young learners, their families, and their communities in this edition of Early Bird, we’re also bringing you the latest from Gov. Stein’s Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, a fresh new Profile in Care out of Dare County, and a look at how rural places across the Southeast are expanding child care.
More from EdNC on early childhood
Report | Best practices for incorporating home-based early care and learning programs into NC Pre-K
This report was prepared for EdNC by Chunyi Xu, a graduate student completing the Master of Public Policy Program at...How rural places in the Southeast are expanding child care, which economists say is necessary for growth
If rural communities want to attract jobs, child care solutions are needed, economic experts said at a convening on rural...Cracking open child care budgets at Gov. Stein's early childhood task force
Members of Gov. Josh Stein’s Task Force on Child Care and Early Education got a peek inside child care programs’...Profiles in Care | Sara Sampson and a home for families in Dare County
EdNC is highlighting the experiences of educators, families, researchers, and advocates with a stake in North Carolina’s early care and...New guidance for integrating family child care homes into public preschool
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has released three new Policy Data Snapshots on how operating statutes, program evaluation, and funding streams...The big picture for little kids
Legislative Updates
Gov. Josh Stein and both the House and Senate have released their budget proposals.
None of the plans included advocates’ largest ask: a floor subsidy rate that would help child care providers serving low-income families sustain their businesses in places with low subsidy rates, which are often rural. The plans do include some subsidy funding, as well as pilots to create new family child care, and regulatory reforms to loosen staffing requirements.
Go here to learn about the child care components of Stein’s plan, here for the Senate’s plan, here for the House’s plan. Next, the House and Senate will negotiate to reach a compromise budget.
Meanwhile, Stein’s bipartisan child care task force started drafting recommendations for the state that will be in the group’s first report, due to the governor’s office at the end of June. They include establishing that floor rate, plus exploring free space at community colleges and other places to expand care, and supporting the early childhood workforce with wage supplements and access to health insurance.
News & Research
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Report: For First Time in Years, Home-Based Child Care Programs Are on the Rise - From EdSurge
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Building Resilience and Promoting Well-Being: An Updated Action Plan for North Carolina’s Children and Families - From North Carolina Institute of Medicine
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Promising Partners: Community Colleges and Child Care Resource & Referral Networks - From New America
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Vermont’s State-funded Child Care Subsidy Expansion Supports Families and Providers - From Child Trends
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The labor market case for early childhood education - From Brookings
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Black Maternal and Infant Health Disparities through the Lenses of Anti-Black Racism, Intersectionality, & Afrofuturism: A Literature Review - From National Black Child Development Institute
Taking flight! Opportunities to spread your wings
Vaccines for Kids interactive map - From N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
NC DHHS launched a new interactive map to help eligible North Carolina families more easily find free childhood vaccines in their area through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program: VaccinesForKids.nc.gov
Key features of the new VFC provider map include:
- Easy search by city or ZIP code
- Direct links to local VFC providers
- Ability to sort by provider type
- Availability in Spanish at VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov
In addition to the map, families can:
- Check eligibility for free vaccines
- Access clear, up-to-date information on required and recommended vaccines
- Find answers to common questions about vaccine safety and more
Putting the Care in Child Care - From North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association
From NCIMHA: As a care provider, teacher or administrator, we recognize that the work you do every day is both essential to the wellbeing of young children and often under valued. We are committed to supporting YOU in your vital role—nurturing, guiding, teaching, and helping young children grow and thrive.
We are excited to offer a unique opportunity designed with your needs in mind! We are providing six FREE ongoing monthly reflective consultation groups, led by experienced early care and education professionals, in a supportive space alongside peers and colleagues. Groups begin in July, with convenient early evening hours!
Transitions webinar - From Healthy Social Behaviors Project
Date/Time: Tuesday 6/17/25, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Meeting ID: 367 799 7738
From HSB: Transitions can be confusing and difficult for some children. Join this free Healthy Social Behaviors Helpline webinar to discuss strategies that can help children predict what to expect to make transitions smoother and engaging.
