Across the United States, families are working to find early childhood education that is safe, affordable, and reliable. At the same time, providers are working to implement quality practices, stay staffed, and keep their programs open. In Pennsylvania, where the educators highlighted in this article live and work, thousands of early childhood staffing positions remain unfilled, and families report that finding high-quality programs to meet their needs is a persistent challenge.
Home-based or family child care is part of the solution to this dilemma. These providers offer care and education in their homes, often operating beyond a typical eight-hour day. This flexibility allows them to serve families with wide-ranging contexts and realities. But it can also create barriers that make professional learning— a cornerstone of growing as an early childhood practitioner— difficult. Challenges include long workdays, limited access to coaching, uneven funding for training, and professional isolation.
Still, many family child care providers have a steady commitment to professional growth. They want to learn about new teaching strategies, deepen their understanding of child development, and strengthen how they partner with families.
We( the authors) are a team of interdisciplinary researchers from ParentChild +, an early childhood home visiting organization for under-resourced families and providers. We are committed to supporting family child care educators, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. This includes providing opportunities to access professional development that is continuous, collaborative, and connected to practice. In this article, we discuss the importance of professional development to an educator’ s career growth, then share the voices of home-based providers who participated in a recent professional development series sponsored by United Way. They reflect on their continuous learning and describe the supports they need to grow as professionals. We end with suggestions for early childhood leaders, coaches, and policymakers on ways to help family child care providers access meaningful professional development.
The Importance of Learning Throughout One’ s Career
Ongoing professional development is essential to build and advance the knowledge and skills that educators need for the lifespan of their careers. This may include training and technical assistance; observation and feedback from professional learning communities; or mentoring, coaching, and other forms of job-related assistance.
Besides advancing educators’ knowledge, continuous learning can also address issues of equity. As outlined in NAEYC’ s position statement on developmentally appropriate practice, ongoing professional development can effectively prepare and support educators to reflect on and address any bias in their work. It helps them plan and implement developmentally appropriate, equitable practices for every child.
While professional development is often considered part of center- or school-based programs, it’ s essential for all early childhood educators. Professional development tailored to home-based educators prioritizes their voices, builds on their strengths, and allows them to apply new knowledge and skills in real time.
TIPS FOR ACCESSING PD
36 Educating Young Children
Fall 2026