The National Association for Family Child Care Launches Nationwide Advocacy Campaign to Transform In-Home Family Child Care

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is proud to announce "August Advocacy in Action," a dedicated period beginning August 12, aimed at raising awareness and advocating for essential policy changes in the family child care sector.

The primary goal of 'August Advocacy in Action' is to advocate for increased and sustained investment in the childcare sector, including support for in-home family child care, pushing for the passage of $16 billion in emergency supplemental funds, and strengthening the child care and adult care food program (CACFP), including meeting the needs of home-based educators by increasing reimbursements and eliminating tiering. These efforts are crucial to address several critical needs:

• Affordable Care for Families: Ensuring child care is available across income levels and communities.
• Stabilizing Providers and Programs: Keeping small businesses open and supporting economic development.
• Financial Sustainability: Fully enrolling child care programs to make them financially sustainable.
• Compensation for Providers: Ensuring fair compensation for those who provide this essential service.

Erica Phillips, Executive Director of NAFCC, emphasizes the urgency of this initiative: "The $16 billion in federal funding and support in the Child and Adult Care Food Program is not just a financial investment; it's a lifeline for millions of families and child care providers across the nation. This funding will ensure that every family, regardless of income or community, has access to affordable, high-quality child care. It will stabilize and sustain the small businesses that form the backbone of our economy and provide fair compensation to the dedicated providers who nurture our youngest learners. Without this critical support, we risk a domino effect that could devastate families, disrupt education, and weaken our workforce."

"NAFCC's August Advocacy in Action campaign is important to me because we have invested a lot of time and energy in getting to know each other," said  Kim Spiegel, owner and operator of Zo Zo Granny's in Michigan. "We've shared stories and shed tears together, building connections and networks and forming friendships and alliances. This advocacy event signals our commitment to take action. We have gathered a formidable force, and it's time for people to know who we are and what we're willing to fight for. We fight for families to have reliable, affordable home-based child care. I'm excited to be part of this journey, not only for myself but for the future of our children."

According to the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), there are one million paid providers caring for children in a home of the provider, caring for three million children from birth to age five in these settings. If this funding isn't secured, many small child care businesses may close, forcing parents to leave the workforce, leading to cascading negative effects on families, education, and the broader workforce.

Throughout the month of August, FCC educators will participate in events in West Virginia, California, Ohio, Connecticut, Missouri, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Get Involved

We urge supporters to take action by finding their congressional delegates, sharing this information with their local community and legislators. Here's how you can get involved:

• Find your Congressional Delegate in the NAFCC Action Center by typing your name and address.
• Use our template to write a letter to your Congress Member to advocate for these critical changes and share your personal experiences as a family child care provider, helping to ensure that our voices are heard and that meaningful policy reforms are enacted to support the future of family child care.
• Share this information with your local community to amplify our collective voice and ensure that the urgent needs of the family child care sector are addressed.
• Visit our Act Now website to take immediate action and support policy changes that benefit family child care providers.

By coming together and advocating for in-home family child care and these essential changes, we can create a brighter future for family child care providers, the children they care for, and the families who rely on their services.

The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to promoting high-level child care by strengthening the profession of family child care for nearly one million paid home-based early learning programs. Since 1982, NAFCC has been supporting family child care throughout the country as educators intentionally choose to offer high-level early care and education in their homes. The Washington D.C.-based organization strengthens the profession by advocating for the needs of educators and the families they serve, providing an identifiable national voice for all members, and promoting a professional accreditation credential that recognizes and encourages high-level care and education in home-based settings. To learn more, visit www.NAFCC.org.

SOURCE National Association for Family Child Care