May 30, 2024
This spring, Early Edge California convened its Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Advisory Group to discuss key aspects of FFN child care, focusing mainly on their experiences caring for infants and toddlers, the needs of Dual Language Learners (DLLs), interest in and barriers to pursuing licensure, in addition to other topics, such as mental health and parent engagement. The Advisory Group held two meetings, one in English and one in Spanish, to ensure inclusive participation. By the end of the discussions, FFN Advisory Group members had developed a list of policy suggestions to support their caregiving that they will continue to hone in future conversations.
For infants and toddlers, Advisory Group members expressed great satisfaction and preference for caring for infants and toddlers knowing they can provide unique and individualized care during a foundational time in a child’s life. Due to the nature of FFN care, many FFNs can personally witness the growth of children as a result of the individualized care they provide. Although rewarding, advisory members also shared challenges caring for these age groups, such as need for consistent routines, high dependency, and resources to help better support the overall development of infants and toddlers.
Advisory Group members also discussed FFN care’s strength in supporting dual language and multilingual learners.The members underscored how FFN care really helps a child develop their home language as FFN caregivers tend to reflect the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the families they provide care for. Advisory Group members talked about how they use music, books, games, and media to promote a child’s native language, and remind family members at home to speak both their home language and English if they are able. Advisory members suggested that more resources and training such as bilingual books and educational materials, as well as online platforms and directories for resource sharing and information, would enable FFNs to better support multilingualism.
In discussing pathways to licensure, FFN Advisory Group members identified several challenges and barriers for current license-exempt caregivers. Significant barriers include financial constraints and cost of living, lack of physical space, and extensive requirements for licensure. Advisory members also stressed the lack of organizational and financial support to create and sustain a child care business. Apart from business-related concerns, advisory members were concerned about losing some freedom in the way they provide cultural, linguistic, and tailored FFN child care, which ultimately affects their decision as it relates to licensure.
In wrapping up, FFN advisory members loosely developed a list of suggested policy considerations to continue to discuss in future meetings. The considerations were to: provide resources and access to developmentally and age-appropriate training like workshops and educational materials; create access and assistance for FFNs seeking pathways to licensure and to simplify processes; and establish initiatives that support the mental health of both the FFN caregiver and the children they provide care for.
The FFN Advisory Group meetings are an opportunity for FFN caregivers to share space with each other and share best practices, suggestions and concerns surrounding FFN child care, which directly guides the work of Early Edge California.