10.6.2.1: Development of Child Care Provider Organizations and Networks

State-level agencies and resource and referral agencies should encourage the development of child care provider organizations or networks, to attract, train, support, and encourage participation in facility quality ratings and accreditation, for those caregivers/teachers who would like to be part of an organization or system. National professional organizations should encourage the development of local child care provider organizations and networks.

When possible, these networks should include a central facility for enrichment activities for groups of children and support in-service programs for caregivers/teachers.

RATIONALE

To enhance staff qualifications and a nurturing environment, child care providers need support (1). This especially applies to family child care home providers who tend to be more isolated than those employed in centers. In studies of the quality of care in family child care homes, the caregivers/teachers who provided better care were those who viewed their role as a profession and acted accordingly, participating in continuous improvement activities (2).

COMMENTS

Professional networking organizations offer professional encouragement, support, and training to promote rigorous professional standards (3). This should include the promotion of quality ratings, accreditation, credentialing, and other quality improvement initiatives that are based on implementing best practices in early childhood education.

RELATED STANDARDS

10.3.3.1 Credentialing of Individual Child Care Providers

REFERENCES

1. Kimberlin, D.W., Brady, M.T., Jackson, M.A., Long, S.S., eds. 2015. Red book: 2015 report to the committee of infectious diseases. 30^th Ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. 
2. Galinsky, E., C. Howes, S. Kontos, M. Shinn. 1994. The study of children in family child care and relative care. New York: Families and Work Institute.
3. Bromer, J. 2009. The Family Child Care Network impact study: Promising strategies for improving family child care quality. Accessible at: http://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/HerrCtr_FCCBrief_Final_web1.pdf.