The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is proud to announce a new partnership with TOOTRiS, the nation’s largest child care platform, aimed at lifting up and supporting Family Child Care (FCC) educators across the country. This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to strengthening the early childhood education system by recognizing and investing in the essential role of home-based child care providers.

Through this partnership, NAFCC and TOOTRiS will work together to increase visibility, access, and support for Family Child Care professionals, ensuring families can more easily connect with high-quality, nurturing care in home-based settings. The collaboration also seeks to elevate the voices of FCC educators and highlight their critical contributions to the child care workforce and to the healthy development of young children.

““This partnership shines a powerful spotlight on Family Child Care educators and elevates the essential role they play in delivering high-quality child care to families,” said Erica Phillips, Executive Director of the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). “We are extremely grateful for the TOOTRiS partnership and the recognition of Family Child Care as a vital part of the early child care system. Their commitment comes at a critical time, as our nation works to support the workforce and ensure families have access to the nurturing, home-based environments where children thrive.”

“Partnerships like this are powerful catalysts for strengthening Family Child Care across the nation,” said Zakenya Neely, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Market Solutions at NAFCC. “When we bring together innovative technology and the deep-rooted expertise of home-based educators, we elevate Family Child Care as a cornerstone of our economic workforce and a vital support for children and families. Our collaboration with TOOTRiS will help Family Child Care educators increase their enrollment, sustain and grow their businesses, and gain the visibility they deserve. We are excited to partner with TOOTRiS to ensure Family Child Care educators are recognized, supported, and positioned to thrive.”

“NAFCC has long been the national voice for Family Child Care and the providers who make an extraordinary impact in their communities,” said Alessandra Lezama, CEO of TOOTRiS. “By pairing their leadership with our real-time technology and employer connections, we can help thousands of home-based programs reach more families, fill more seats, and grow sustainably.”

Family Child Care providers serve millions of children nationwide, offering flexible, culturally responsive, and relationship-based care that meets the diverse needs of families. Despite their importance, FCC educators are often underrecognized and underresourced. This partnership aims to change that by amplifying awareness, expanding access to tools and resources, and reinforcing FCC as a cornerstone of a strong and equitable child care system.

NAFCC, the only national organization dedicated exclusively to representing Family Child Care, has spent decades advocating for policies, standards, and supports that empower FCC educators. By partnering with TOOTRiS, NAFCC continues its mission to advance high-quality Family Child Care and ensure providers have a seat at the table in national conversations about child care and workforce development.

Together, NAFCC and TOOTRiS are committed to driving meaningful impact for providers, families, and communities—today and for the future of early care and education.

As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect on a year marked by hard truths and hopeful progress. While progress at the federal level has been limited, with funding delays and a prolonged government shutdown, states have taken the lead. Across the country, bold action and policy victories at the state level remind us that change is possible when educators, families, and advocates organize together. These local wins offer valuable lessons and a clear path forward for building a stronger and more equitable child care system.

This year, family child care (FCC) educators had a seat at the table—meeting with congressional staffers, joining Hill visits, and mobilizing for A Day Without Child Care. Their voices shaped national conversations and strengthened the call for bold, sustained investment in the early care and education system.

Big Wins in State Policy

New Mexico
On November 1, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to guarantee universal child care for all residents, regardless of income. Families stand to save up to $12,000 annually in child care costs and committed to a mixed delivery system that includes family child care educators, family, friend, and neighbor caregivers, and other community-based programs.

NAFCC State Representative Olga Grays played a powerful role in the movement for change. A family child care educator in Albuquerque, Olga helped fight for more than a decade to make this possible. You can read more about her advocacy and impact in our recent blog: In Their Own Words: Olga Grays, New Mexico.

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Connecticut

Approved the creation of an Early Childhood Endowment to expand the state-funded Early Start program. The endowment is projected to grow to over $1 billion within 3–5 years, supporting educator wage increases, a health care subsidy, 20,000 new infant/toddler and Pre-K spaces, eliminating copays for families under $100,000, and capping costs at 7 percent for families with higher incomes.

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Texas

Finalized a state budget that includes $100 million in unexpended TANF funds to support child-care scholarships administered by the Texas Workforce Commission—helping reduce waitlists for families across the state.

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Massachusetts

In 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care increased reimbursement rates for child care providers who accept state Child Care Financial Assistance. This increase strengthens financial stability for family child care educators and expands access for families statewide.

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Accross the Nation

States are creating dedicated trust funds for early care and education, recurring stable, long-term funding beyond yearly budgets. The Alliance for Early Success reports progress on early-childhood policies in all 50 states, including wage raises, expanded eligibility, and new funding sources for family child care and early learning.

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Family Child Care Wins

California – Home-Based FCC Providers’ Contract

Home-based providers in California, through the union Child Care Providers United (CCPU), ratified a 2025–2028 contract that secures stabilization pay, cost-of-living adjustments, health care coverage, and retirement benefits for family child care educators.

Read Statement

Michigan

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) awarded $2.6M to support the creation of Family Child Care Network Hubs across the state. These hubs will provide technical assistance, business support, and professional development tailored specifically to family child care educators.

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Continued Momentum for Early Care & Education

Child care continues to be a winning issue. Voters in multiple communities approved new funding mechanisms for early care in 2025, showing that investment in child care resonates at the local level.
(Children’s Funding Project)

A national review of state legislative sessions found that 47 states had an opportunity to pass budgets last year, and many included meaningful supports for child care and early learning despite the absence of new federal relief.
(Child Care Aware of America)

New York City elected a mayor who ran on a platform of universal childcare. Connecticut, New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia have made bold investments that demonstrate what’s possible when early educators, families, and advocates collaborate to build power at the state level.

These victories send a clear message to Congress: families are demanding action, and the time for federal investment is now.

Eboni Delaney, Director of Policy and Movement Building, NAFCC

After 43 days of a federal government shutdown, the country slowly reopened, yet the ripple effects of those weeks will not disappear overnight. The shutdown’s reach went far beyond politics and affected families, child care programs, and the community supports that make daily life possible.

When subsidy payments and food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were delayed, family child care educators stepped in once again. In homes across the country, they continued to care for children, support families, and keep communities steady, even as uncertainty mounted.

We’ve seen this before, during the COVID-19 Pandemic. When the world shut down in 2020, child care did not. Family child care and other early educators showed up day after day because care cannot pause. These small business owners and educators, overwhelmingly women and disproportionately women of color, held their communities together through crises that revealed just how essential child care is to every part of the economy.

According to PHI National, women and people of color make up the vast majority of the direct care workforce, yet face some of the lowest wages and least stable job conditions. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research has found that while women’s employment has rebounded since the pandemic, caregiving burdens persist, keeping inequities alive in the very system that sustains working families.

During the shutdown, family child care educators once again filled the gaps left by stalled programs and delayed benefits. Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), they continued serving nutritious meals every day, ensuring children received consistent nourishment even as household benefits were delayed. For many families, these meals were a lifeline. In FY2023, CACFP reached over 4.4 million participants daily, serving billions of meals nationwide.

Family child care educators are upholding the stability of entire communities. Their work supports working parents, anchors local economies, and nurtures children during critical stages of development. These educators operate with consistency, care, and commitment in a system that too often undervalues their contribution.

This consistency matters. In moments when public assistance falters, family child care educators remain one of the last lines of stability for children, by providing both food and care in safe, nurturing home-like environments. Yet, while they shoulder these responsibilities, many still struggle with their own financial insecurities and low wages.

While some argue that child care should remain a private responsibility within the home, that notion overlooks the economic conditions created by public policy. In a system where wages stagnate, costs rise, and support is scarce, families are not opting out of caring for their own children by choice. They’re navigating a landscape shaped by political decisions that have made outside care a necessity for survival.

When household safety nets break, child care absorbs the shock. But it shouldn’t have to. We cannot continue to rely on an underpaid and overextended workforce to compensate for policy failures. The same educators who support our families deserve policies that sustain their funding for CACFP, fair reimbursement rates, timely payments, and wages that reflect their essential role.

Child care doesn’t stop for shutdowns, snow days, or political stalemates. It moves quietly and steadily, teaching, feeding, and nurturing while the rest of the world debates. Educators operate without pause because their work is tied to human need.

Now that the government has reopened, policymakers must match that same urgency. The path forward requires sustained federal investment, strengthening programs like SNAP, CACFP, and the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), guaranteeing on-time payments even during future shutdowns, and funding grant programs that stabilize family child care businesses.

The call to action remains simple: treat child care as the foundation it is. Contact your representatives, share the stories of family child care educators in your community, and demand that budgets reflect the priorities of these educators. When child care is supported, families and the entire economy thrive.

Budgets may stall and debates may drag on, but the truth remains the same: the economy runs on child care. And although the nation continued to move forward for 43 days without a functioning government, it was not without serious consequences. Likewise, parents going even a portion of that time without child care would face immediate consequences and far-reaching impacts on their jobs, their stability, and their families.

Eboni Delaney is the Director of Policy and Movement Building at the National Association for Family Child Care, and a Public Voices Fellow of the OpEd Project in Partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute.

The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) and the Council for Professional Recognition (The Council) announce a new national partnership to launch the CDA to Accreditation Pathway Scholarship Program, an initiative designed to expand access to accreditation and strengthen professional supports for family child care educators.

Under this three-year collaboration, the Council will provide $50,000 in scholarship funding for NAFCC members who hold a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential and are pursuing NAFCC Accreditation or Re-Accreditation. The Council will also provide FCC CDA holders a chance to opt in to a free yearlong NAFCC Ambassador Membership ($40 value) expanding access to membership and professional development resources.

“This partnership is an important step toward building a stronger, more supported family child care workforce,” said Erica Phillips, Executive Director of NAFCC. “The CDA to Accreditation Pathway Scholarship Program removes financial barriers, strengthens the FCC community and creates a clear path from earning the CDA to achieving NAFCC Accreditation.”

NAFCC will manage scholarship disbursement, promote opportunities, provide application support, and host monthly membership orientation sessions. Both organizations will participate in quarterly reviews beginning March 2026 to assess program impact.

The partnership also includes coordinated marketing efforts, co-branded outreach, webinars, conference engagement, and media announcements to increase awareness of the program. The agreement took effect October 8, 2025, marking a shared commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening quality, and advancing the early childhood profession.

Written by Eboni Delaney, Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building, NAFCC

“I want to know what I can do to get more Indiana family child care educators involved.”

For the past seven years, Deondra Stewart has provided steady and reliable care to children and families in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She operates a family child care program that families trust. Her work offers the kind of consistency that helps parents maintain employment, manage life transitions, and keep their households stable. The environment she has built is a support system shaped by relationships, reliability, and a deep commitment to the families she serves.

This year, that stability is being tested by statewide changes to the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers, which are federally funded and state-managed. Indiana has significantly reduced reimbursement rates, creating financial strain for both families and educators. Assistance has been cut by as much as 98 percent in some cases, with subsidy amounts that no longer reflect the actual cost of care. One educator in Deondra’s area now receives six dollars per week for a school-age child. These reductions have forced family child care programs to reconsider whether they can continue serving families who rely on vouchers, placing them in a difficult position of searching for new care options in a limited market.

Deondra is seeing the impact firsthand. Educators in her area are now sharing that they would rather not accept CCDF vouchers because the new rates do not cover the cost of food, materials, or staffing needed to run a program. She understands the financial reality, but she also understands the impact these decisions have on families. Deondra has chosen to continue accepting vouchers, even when the funding falls short, because she knows the importance of stable, familiar care environments. As she explains, “Some parents faced providers who decided to stop taking state-funded vouchers, but I cannot do that because I know it would leave thousands of children without care.”

Rather than feeling defeated, Deondra has taken action. Over the past several months, she has supported other providers who organized three rallies in Fort Wayne to raise awareness about the impact of voucher reductions. These events provided an opportunity for educators, families, and community members to share their experiences openly and advocate for more equitable solutions at the state level. Deondra invited Indiana State Representative Kyle Miller from District 82 to speak with providers about the impact of these voucher cuts on families and providers. Alongside that work, Deondra has begun reaching out to family child care educators across Indiana to strengthen connections and build a broader network of support.

She believes that family child care must be included in conversations about funding, policy, and long-term planning. Reflecting on the work ahead, she shared, “I want to know what I can do to get more Indiana family child care educators involved.”

In August of 2023, Deondra spoke at the Indiana Statehouse for the Childcare Summer Study Commission on the impact of affordable childcare. Deondra continues to support families as a Community Navigator for Mothers on the Rise. This role is through a Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative through the IU School of Medicine. Her work supports women returning to their communities after incarceration as they face navigating challenging life transitions. Her program is a nurturing place for children and a source of support for parents to rebuild their lives. She understands how deeply child care is tied to community well-being and how policy decisions made without educator input can create far-reaching consequences.

Although these voucher reductions are being implemented at the state level, Deondra recognizes that they reflect broader issues within the federal child care system. As of November 2025, there are over 31,000 children under the age of 6 in Indiana who are in need of childcare. The way CCDF funding is allocated and administered directly affects the sustainability of programs like hers. When decisions are made without engaging those providing the care, communities feel the impact immediately. These policy shifts show up in weekly budgets, enrollment decisions, and the difficult conversations families have when their child care options suddenly change.

When Deondra felt that she had reached her limit on what she could accomplish alone, she turned to the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) for support. She remains connected to NAFCC because she values national advocacy that centers the lived experience of home-based educators. She believes that state and federal discussions must include the realities faced by family child care programs and the communities they serve. This includes acknowledging the financial pressures created by low reimbursement rates and recognizing the value and expertise that family child care contributes to the early childhood landscape.

In response to the voucher cuts, Deondra expanded her program to include before- and after-school care. Taking on additional responsibilities has helped some families maintain consistent routines, even as their subsidy amounts have decreased. It is more work, but it reflects her commitment to minimizing disruption for the children and parents who depend on her program every day.

Through every challenge, Deondra has remained focused on the families she serves and on the broader effort to strengthen support for family child care educators across Indiana. She continues to lead by example, by showing up, speaking out, organizing with others, and ensuring that family child care educators are included in the conversations that shape funding, equity, and access.

“I don’t want to just talk about the problem,” she said. “I want to be part of whatever it takes to change it.”

NAFCC Engages Educators at CDA Early Education Learning Conference in Orlando

The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) had a strong presence at the CDA Council for Professional Recognition Early Education Learning Conference in Orlando, Florida, connecting with educators, sharing resources, and celebrating family child care leadership. Erica Phillips, NAFCC Executive Director, joined a panel with Dr. Angela Perla-Almodovar (CEO, Early Childhood Initiative of America), Andrea Maldonado (NAFCC Director of Quality Assessment and Recognition), Dezire’e Mattocks (NAFCC Director of Professional Development), and Francia Wisnewski (NAFCC Director of Membership) to present on how accreditation and professional credentials strengthen quality and elevate the family child care sector. The panel emphasized the importance of investing in standards, professional development, and recognition of excellence to ensure every child in a home-based setting receives high-quality early learning experiences.

Throughout the conference, NAFCC team members connected with attendees at the vendor booth, sharing information about membership benefits, accreditation, professional development opportunities, and resources to support family child care providers. The team enjoyed answering questions, sharing insights, and celebrating the essential role of family child care educators in communities nationwide. The conference concluded with a special dinner reception, bringing together NAFCC members and early childhood professionals for an evening of networking, conversation, and celebration, highlighting the community, collaboration, and shared commitment that make the family child care field so impactful.

Connecticut Family Child Care Advocates Meet with Senator Murphy’s Office

Maria Amado, NAFCC State Representative for Connecticut, met with Mike Fallon, Outreach Director, and Erin McBride, Outreach Assistant, from Senator Chris Murphy’s district office to discuss the pressing issues affecting family child care. Joining her was NAFCC Director of Membership, Francia Wisnewski, along with a group of dedicated educators who shared firsthand experiences and offered clear insights into the policy changes needed to sustain and strengthen home-based care in Connecticut.

The conversation highlighted the power of educator-driven advocacy and underscored the importance of showing up—both locally and nationally—to make a difference.

Family Child Care Leaders Host First NAFCC State Representatives Retreat in Washington, D.C.

Family child care leaders Tiffany Taylor (NAFCC Membership Council Delegate & New York State Representative), Vantoinette Savage (NAFCC Affiliate Council Delegate & North Carolina State Representative), and Cynthia Davis (NAFCC State Representative, Washington, D.C.) hosted the first-ever NAFCC State Representatives Retreat in Washington, D.C.

The retreat brought together passionate leaders from across the country to connect, collaborate, and strengthen their collective voice in support of family child care. We extend special thanks to our sponsors—Alliance For Early Success, National Women’s Law Center, First Five Years Fund, Community Change, and NAFCC—for making this event possible.

Together, we are building stronger connections and advancing leadership across the family child care community.

Elevating Family Child Care: NAFCC Partners with All Our Kin in NYC

Andrea Maldonado, NAFCC’s Director of Quality Assessment and Recognition, attended the All Our Kin Accreditation Resource Fair in the Bronx, celebrating the launch of Accreditation Plus—an initiative designed to support family child care educators in achieving NAFCC Accreditation, the Gold Standard of quality and excellence.

Building on All Our Kin’s Thriving Providers Project, which strengthens the economic well-being of educators through direct cash assistance and community support, this partnership highlights the resources and collaborations that help family child care providers thrive. As the project concludes in 2025, NAFCC and local partners are shining a spotlight on the shared efforts that empower educators and elevate the profession.

We’re proud to collaborate on this important work to strengthen quality, empower educators, and celebrate family child care leadership nationwide.

NAFCC Was in the Building at the NARA Conference!

NAFCC had a great time connecting with leaders, advocates, and educators at the NARA Conference in Norfolk, VA. Dezireé Mattocks, Ed.S., Director of Professional Development, proudly represented NAFCC and shared our mission to uplift and empower Family Child Care educators nationwide.

Attendees stopped by the NAFCC booth on Monday, September 15, to spin the wheel and win exciting prizes. The excitement continued on Tuesday, September 16, with a Grand Prize Raffle—congratulations to Noelia, winner of one free 2026 NAFCC National Conference ticket and three hotel nights in Chicago.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to connect, learn more about NAFCC, or simply say hello. Your energy and support made this event unforgettable.

NAFCC Amplifies Family Child Care Voices at Reimagining Child Care Network Convening

NAFCC participated in the Reimagining Child Care Network convening in Raleigh, North Carolina. Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building, Eboni Delaney, and Director of Development, Lolita Jerido, joined family child care advocate Corrine Hendrickson to highlight NAFCC’s work in shifting the national narrative around family child care.

The team also connected with leaders across North Carolina, including Senator Jay Chaudhuri and NAFCC State Representative Vantoinette Savage, strengthening partnerships to ensure that the power and value of family child care are recognized, heard, and celebrated.

NAFCC State Representatives on the Move!

NAFCC State Representatives Lenise Parker, Sharon Jackson, Arleen Lambert, and Vantoinette Savage are attended the Child Care For Every Family Network Grassroots Assembly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

They connected with fellow advocates and leaders from across the nation to advance equitable, high-quality child care for all families and to ensure Family Child Care voices are at the table in shaping solutions that work for children, educators, and communities.

NAFCC Highlights Family Child Care Excellence in Orlando

NAFCC Interim Director of Policy & Movement Building, Eboni Delaney, recently visited Overcomer Kids 3E in Orlando, Florida, led by family child care educators Christina and Quiara Brown. Christina and Quiara were featured in the regional Emmy-nominated We Are Family Child Care documentary, where their powerful story brought national attention to the essential role of family child care.

During the visit, the warmth of their environment, the intentionality of their practice, and the joy of the children they serve were clear reminders of why family child care is vital to families and communities. Moments like these underscore the importance of elevating the voices and leadership of FCC educators nationwide.

NAFCC at the National Black Child Development Institute Conference

Eboni Delaney, NAFCC Interim Director of Policy & Movement Building, attended the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) National Conference to engage with leaders and professionals in early childhood education.

Her participation highlighted NAFCC’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and supporting family child care educators across diverse communities, while fostering connections and sharing best practices to strengthen the field.

During the conference, Eboni, along with Dr. Joan Lombardi, also uplifted the NAFCC Global Learning Convening, reflecting on its role in advancing knowledge and collaboration in early childhood care.

NAFCC Participates in Care Can’t Wait Coalition Retreat

Eboni Delaney, Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building, and Yesy Robles-Brown, Chief of Staff, are attending the Care Can’t Wait Coalition Retreat this week in Washington, D.C.

The retreat brings together national partners dedicated to advancing care policies that support families, caregivers, and early educators. Participants are reviewing shared successes, discussing ongoing challenges, and identifying priorities to strengthen collective advocacy efforts in the year ahead.

NAFCC remains committed to ensuring that family child care educators are represented in every national care conversation. Through partnerships like Care Can’t Wait, we continue to elevate their voices, center their experiences, and advance a more equitable care infrastructure for all.

NAFCC at the Urban League 2025 Empowerment & Policy Conference

Mischell Davis, NAFCC Leaders Shaping Leaders (LSL) Policy Program Regional Manager for Louisiana, attended the Urban League 2025 Empowerment & Policy Conference, themed “Unite”, connecting with leaders supporting family child care and early childhood leadership. She wrapped up the day at a Mixer hosted by the Early Childhood Leaders of Color Collaborative, alongside LSL LA participant Cierra Amar and team members Emelyn Acosta and Yanina Puerto, reconnecting with long-time friends from NOLAPS, LA Children’s Museum, and the Parent Leadership Collaborative.

NAFCC Engages with the Global HBCC Coalition at the United Nations

Erica Phillips, NAFCC Executive Director, attended a lunch with the Global Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Coalition in New York City during the United Nations meeting.

The gathering provided an opportunity to connect with international leaders, share insights, and advance the visibility and impact of family child care worldwide. NAFCC’s participation underscores its commitment to elevating home-based child care and fostering global collaboration in early childhood education.

NAFCC Visits Precious Moments Childcare in Maryland

Eboni Delaney, Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building at NAFCC, recently visited Precious Moments Childcare in Rockville, Maryland, owned and operated by NAFCC Maryland State Representative Tiffany Jones.

Joined by family child care educator and former Policy Fellow Kenia Reinoso, the visit provided an opportunity to connect with educators and hear firsthand about their experiences providing care during challenging times. The conversation highlighted the strength, collaboration, and community that continue to define family child care nationwide.

LSL Louisiana at the Louisiana Department of Education Early Childhood Conference

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) hosted its annual **Early Childhood Conference – Early Foundations, Endless Possibilities! ** bringing together child care providers, teachers, and administrators from across the state for a weekend of learning, collaboration, and professional growth.

Mischell Davis, NAFCC Leaders Shaping Leaders (LSL) Policy Program Regional Manager for Louisiana, attended the conference, engaging with early childhood professionals and sharing resources to strengthen quality and leadership in family child care. The event offered valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, celebrate progress, and inspire continued commitment to ensuring that every child in Louisiana has access to high-quality early learning experiences.

Date: Dec 6, 2025 11:00 AM EST

Hosted by Bill Hudson, Maryland Affiliate Leader – Family Child Care Alliance of Maryland

Join us for an engaging session with Bill Hudson, Maryland Affiliate Leader from the Family Child Care Alliance of Maryland, as he introduces leaders to practical ways artificial intelligence (AI) can support and enhance their work.

This session will explore how AI can be a valuable tool for improving communication, organization, and efficiency within the Family Child Care community. Bill will share insights on the growing role of technology in leadership and advocacy, highlight its potential benefits for providers, and answer questions from participants about integrating innovation into their daily practice.

Issued by Eboni Delaney, Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building

Since October 1, 2025, the federal government has been shut down following the expiration of appropriations for FY 2026. This impasse has direct consequences for families, which will escalate after more programs run out of funding November 1.

Without immediate action, families will see increases to their health care bills and millions of parents, babies and toddlers could lose health coverage, food assistance, early education, housing, and other crucial income supports.

Take Action on SNAP
SNAP Toolkit: Join the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in pressuring the USDA to ensure full November SNAP benefits are not delayed.

What’s Happening with Head Start
There are about 180 programs that will cease receiving funds on Nov. 1. This missed funding will impact Head Start programs, which work with an estimated 65,000 young children in 40+ states across the nation.
Take Action on Head Start

What’s Happening with CACFP
CACFP is critical because it provides meals for children and is also a revenue stream for family child care programs. There is less information about CACFP; however, at this time, it does appear that USDA will continue to fund CACFP. All state agencies that administer CACFP should have the funds they need to process reimbursements for October expenses. Please notify us at policy@nafcc.org if you experience any disruptions in CACFP funding.

The ripple effect is clear: reduced resources for families lead to heightened strain on child care settings and increased risk of disruptions to other programs—at the very moment when children most need consistent care and nutrition support.

Call to Action

Congress and the Administration must act with urgency to protect children, families, and the early care workforce by continuing to fund critical programs like Head Start & SNAP.

Food security is foundational to healthy child development. When children arrive hungry, educators step in to fill the gap, often at their own expense. Sustaining SNAP ensures that care environments remain stable and that educators can continue to meet children’s needs.

Maintaining core safety-net programs, like Head Start & SNAP, during a political impasse is essential to the well-being of children, the stability of families, and the strength of local economies.

Written by Eboni Delaney, Interim Director of Policy and Movement Building, NAFCC

“We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For”

When Trina D. Averette says, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” the words don’t come from a place of theory — they rise from lived experience.

For nearly three decades, Trina has opened her home to other people’s children, transforming her living space into something sacred: a place where laughter, learning, and love coexist. Her mornings begin not with a commute but with a quiet breath before the first knock on the door, a reminder that her work is more than a job. It’s a calling.

In Columbus, Ohio, where she runs The Foundation for Creative Life, Trina is known as a nurturer, a teacher, and an advocate. “Every morning when we open our doors, we offer a priceless gift,” she said. “We welcome families and children into our homes, creating safe spaces filled with love, learning, and care. Family child care educators are the heartbeat of our communities. We give families stability, children strong foundations, and our neighborhoods connection.”
That heartbeat, though steady, is under strain.

Ohio’s early care landscape is shifting. Recent state budget changes have redrawn what “care” looks like on paper — introducing new funding structures, redefining part-time attendance, and increasing the number of children that home-based providers can serve. What might seem like small adjustments in policy translate into large burdens in practice.

Children attending between 25 and 33 hours a week are now classified as part-time, which means educators like Trina receive less reimbursement for the same effort and attention. Meanwhile, group sizes have increased from six to seven in Type B homes and from twelve to fourteen in Type A homes — but without additional support or compensation.

“We’re being asked to do more work for the same or even less pay,” Trina said, her tone steady but firm. “We’re also managing expectations and regulations that don’t reflect the realities of family child care. At this stage in my journey, and in the spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, but even more determined to keep fighting.”

Across the country, educators echo her frustration. NAFCC’s 2024–2025 Annual Survey paints a picture of a system on edge: reimbursement delays, rising costs, and bureaucratic barriers that make sustainability nearly impossible. For many, one missed payment or policy shift can mean the end of a business. And when those doors close, families lose trust, consistency, and connection, not just a service.

For Trina, this struggle isn’t theoretical. It’s personal.

Nearly thirty years ago, in Chicago, Illinois, she began this work inspired by her son, who was born with special needs. “I wanted him, and every child, to have a place where they could learn, grow, and feel seen,” she said. That desire became the foundation of her life’s work. “In Chicago, we had higher ratios and a more supportive relationship with licensing — one that felt focused on helping providers succeed. Those early experiences shaped how I saw what was possible. I know what happens when systems respect and empower educators.”

That sense of what’s possible has guided her ever since.

Today, Trina continues her mission in Columbus, not only as an educator but also as a NAFCC State Representative, advocating for those whose voices are often unheard. She works to ensure that the challenges of family child care are seen as community issues, not just individual ones.

“When rates are cut, payments delayed, or policies change overnight, it affects not only our businesses but also the stability of the families we serve,” she said. “I know that pain personally. Years ago, I lost my home because of delayed payments and denied parent cases. That experience still drives me to speak up.”

Her story mirrors the findings of NAFCC’s 2024 Housing Report, which shows how financial instability and housing insecurity often intersect family child care educators. Zoning laws, payment delays, and a lack of housing protections have forced many to relocate or close completely. The ripple effect impacts children, parents, and entire communities.

“Family child care is essential infrastructure,” Trina said. “We are small businesses, educators, and caregivers. We do the work that holds communities together. Change is possible, but it takes all of us using our voices.” Her words land softly, but they carry the weight of conviction.

Trina’s story, like many others, is one of resilience, rooted in the belief that progress starts at the ground level, with those who care enough to keep showing up. It’s the story of someone who has seen systems fail but keeps building anyway, one child, one family, one morning at a time.

And in that persistence lies the quiet strength of her message — that the wait for change ends when people like her decide it’s time to act.

As she reminds us, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”