Staffed Family Child Care Network: Year 4 Progress & Results Report

Family child care availability in Georgia had declined significantly, by 28% from 2009 to 2011,i after the addition of an educational credential requirement, and by 29% from 2014 to 2017,ii after the group child care home category was eliminated and family child care providers were required to become licensed rather than registered.iii The number of family child care providers declined even further – by 13% from 2020 to 2023 – during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.iv

These Georgia declines have taken place in the context of a decline in child care nationally, attributed to persistently low compensation, lack of benefits, and the rising costs of housing and insurance,v public pre-kindergarten growth, declines in subsidy use, and administrative burdens related to regulatory, quality rating and subsidy policies.vi

In response to these declining numbers, Quality Care for Children (QCC) initiated a Staffed Family Child Care Network (Network) in 2020, during the COVID pandemic. The Network program, modeled on an existing program for child care learning centers, was designed to help these providers improve their business operations and finances to sustain the availability of home-based child care in the state. The Network – developed, modified and enhanced over a four-year period – included financial health and knowledge assessments, intensive training, hands-on business coaching and automation support, and online resources for participating providers.

The Network’s primary goal was to help family child care providers operate sustainable businesses by transforming the way they manage their businesses without compromising quality or experiencing financial instability that would pose a risk to their business.