Voices from Family Child Care Providers
In the stories that follow, family child care practitioners describe how professional development helped them grow. They share how it sparked their learning, strengthened their practice, and shows up in their daily interactions
with children and families.
Applying Learning to Practice: Deborah
‘ You know your benefit for going down to United Way [ is ] they have these nice classes, one dealing with trauma.’”
Over time, Deborah deepened her learning about trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices as well as children’ s waves of development. Her goal was to ensure that the children in her care felt emotionally safe, affirmed, and supported.
Today, Deborah considers professional learning to be something that extends beyond her program. She looks for partnerships that will strengthen quality and support families, such as a monthly autism support group she helped organize at a local library. Her story reflects a mindset we hear from many providers: There is always something new to learn because children and families deserve our best.
Intentional Teaching Grows Over Time: Angie
When Deborah opened her family child care program almost two decades ago, she didn’ t have formal training in child development. A former mental health professional, she switched to early childhood education to work more directly with children and families. However, she soon found that caring deeply about children wasn’ t the same as supporting their development with intention.
This realization prompted Deborah to seek training, ask questions, and keep building her knowledge as an educator. One of the mentors she connected with via Head Start suggested accessing the low- and no-cost professional development opportunities offered by United Way.“ She was watching me interact with one of my children,” Deborah recalls,“ and she said,
Angie began her 30-year career in early childhood education by learning on the job. Her journey reflects her deepening understanding of the importance of hands-on learning. When she started caring for children in her home, she initially relied on television programs like Sesame Street for educational material. She developed her skills and knowledge through networking and by seeking her Child
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