Workforce Compensation, Support & Pathways

At the heart of California’s mixed-delivery Early Learning and Care system is a diverse workforce spanning both private and public sectors to support children and families across the state, including: Family Child Care Home (FCCH) providers, center-based preschool staff, license-exempt Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers, as well as public educators in Head Start, State Preschool, and Transitional Kindergarten programs who collectively implement the state’s Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) vision. California has taken significant steps to strengthen the Early Learning and Care system in recent years, through investments in UPK as well as state legislation, introduced by child care advocates, to legalize collective bargaining for care providers. The subsequent formation of the provider union, Child Care Providers United (CCPU), has resulted in major progress through a series of negotiations with the state to improve conditions for providers. Yet despite these advancements, many early educators and caregivers still struggle to earn a livable wage and access benefits, with almost half of the workforce having to rely on public assistance to make ends meet.

A vital yet strained population within the Early Learning and Care workforce are home-based providers, which include licensed FCCH operators and license-exempt FFN caregivers. FCCHs have struggled since the 2020 pandemic to keep their doors open and provide consistent, high-quality care due to low reimbursement rates, rising costs, and limited access to supportive resources. FFN caregivers, in particular, are often an overlooked part of the workforce, although it is estimated that over half of children under 5 receive this form of care. Both FCCHs and FFNs lack resources to support the young children in their care, including access to subsidies when eligible, professional development opportunities, support networks, and for FFNs specifically, the removal of barriers to becoming licensed providers.

Early Learning educators in California’s Universal PreKindergarten (UPK), including those teaching state preschool and Transitional Kindergarten, continue to need key supports as well. Access to professional development opportunities and equitable pathways to credentialing are essential to ensure that early educators are prepared to meet the diverse needs of children and families in their communities by providing high-quality education and care.

The individuals who make up California’s Early Learning and Care workforce are second only to parents in shaping a child’s early development. Their knowledge, relationships, and cultural responsiveness are foundational to providing high-quality environments for children to develop and thrive. When they are fully supported, they can provide the best support to our youngest Californians.

THE IMPACTS

The Early Learning and Care workforce is in need of critical supports to help them nurture our youngest learners.

On Families

An overstretched and shrinking Early Learning and Care workforce leaves parents with fewer and limited affordable options for meeting their children’s and family’s needs. Over half of parents with young children ages 0-5 say they cannot find a child care provider when they need help for a week or longer.

On Providers

Still fighting for the true cost of providing care, more than half of child care providers recently polled experience hardship in maintaining basic needs including food, utilities, and health care, and this is worsening over time.

On California

High-turnover rates and workforce shortages threaten program quality, accessibility, and equity across California. When families can’t find child care, they can’t go to work, which impacts the economic mobility of communities across the state.

THE VISION

Uplifting Those Supporting the Next Generation

Educators and care providers are valued for the critical work they do in supporting the next generation, reflected through receiving liveable wages, health benefits, and ongoing training and professional development opportunities so they can fully support the children in their care.

PRIORITY ACTIONS

Opportunities to Support the Workforce

California’s Early Learning and Care workforce must receive just, liveable wages that reflect their valuable work, through the implementation of reimbursement rate reform utilizing an alternative methodology that reflects the true cost of care. Educators and child care providers must also have access to supportive resources and professional development opportunities as well as pathways to licensure and access to subsidies. Here are the priority actions we’re currently advocating for to make this a reality:

Fully implement rate reform through an alternative methodology that reflects the true cost of care for providers.

The workforce has been underpaid and undervalued for far too long. It is absolutely critical that providers be reimbursed at the actual true cost of care so that we have a system that is ready and equipped to support the needs of working families. Too many providers are struggling to make ends meet, with 43% having to rely on public assistance programs. When providers earn a fair and livable wage, they can fully support children and families and keep their programs open, ensuring stable access to care.

Support equitable educator pathways by ensuring current and future educators have fair and accessible opportunities to enter and advance in the field.

Support the successful implementation of AB 753 in order to help strengthen and expand career pathways in ELC. These efforts help ensure a well-supported workforce of educators who can meet the diverse needs of young children. In addition, providing equitable pathways through both the Child Development Permit and the PreK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential is critical to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce of educators who can effectively support the learning, development, and well-being of young children.

Support Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers by ensuring their fair inclusion in rate reimbursement reform, reducing administrative burdens, promoting pathways to licensure, and guaranteeing access to social safety net programs such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

FFN caregivers provide care for over half of children under 5, yet they are often overlooked in the ELC system, and currently face barriers in accessing key resources to support their work. They need access to eligible subsidies, professional development opportunities, support networks, and pathways to licensure. With these supports in place, FFN caregivers can provide stable, high-quality care, helping children thrive in a setting that meets families’ needs.

Learn more about all our policy priorities in our 2026 policy agenda.

Ways You Can Support Change for Those on the Frontlines of Early Learning and Care

Help us achieve change for educators and caregivers by taking the following steps:

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Join us in our mission to build bright futures for young children and support the adults who help them thrive.

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Early Edge California

Early Learning educators and child care providers have been undervalued and underpaid, threatening the stability and sustainability of the Early Learning and Care field and limiting families’ access to quality options for their children.