Takeaways for the Field
The family child care providers featured in this article are trusted educators who have cared for children across generations and built deep relationships with families and communities. Yet their stories reflect a common reality: These practitioners often work within systems that undervalue their expertise, even as they intentionally support children and partner with families every day.
What stands out across these stories is persistence in learning. These educators sought training, engaged in reflection, and created learning environments that reflect children’ s identities and experiences.
Professional development is key to family child care providers’ continuous growth. Following are recommendations for ways that early childhood leaders, coaches, and policymakers can ensure that these educators have access to meaningful learning opportunities.
› Meet providers where they are. Professional development should be responsive to family child care providers’ unique needs. This may mean providing learning opportunities in educators’ homes. In addition, flexible scheduling, culturally and linguistically appropriate materials, and attention to providers’ personal circumstances can reduce barriers to participation and create more meaningful experiences.
› Offer flexible, mixed training methods. Professional development should combine in-person coaching, online learning, peer communities, and hybrid training formats. These multiple methods allow providers to participate despite demanding schedules, transportation barriers, and a variety of technology platforms.
› Introduce integrated early childhood policies. Sustained funding and investment in the adults who care for children across all settings are key to strengthening the early childhood workforce and supporting children and families. Policymakers can work to build a coordinated professional learning system for those who work in family child care, home visiting, and early intervention and prevention services.
The question is not whether family child care providers are professionals. The question is whether our systems will support them as professionals so that their learning— and children’ s— deepen every day.
Reflection Questions
› What is one part of your day that could become a learning routine or prompt reflection?
› What is one way you can shift from a mindset of“ getting through the day” to intentional teaching?
› Where can you create opportunities for children to make choices? Where can you ask open-ended questions or build social and emotional skills into a routine?
› What support would most strengthen your learning right now? How can a leader, coach, or policymaker assist you to get it?
› What barriers make it difficult for you to participate in professional development? How might you overcome them?
40 Educating Young Children
Fall 2026