The World of Family Child Care

10/19/2007

The World of Family Child Care

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
Jorge Luis Borges

The National Association for Family Child Care (www.nafcc.org), an Exchange Strategic Partner, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and has published NAFCC@25, an impressive personal/professional history of these years. In the book, current NAFCC President Suzanne Gessner Williamson makes these observations about the profession...

“Family child care is the care of choice for millions of families throughout our country and around the world. It offers parents care that is personalized and convenient. It allows children to play and learn in a natural setting with flexible hours that support family strength. It fosters strong bonds between children, caregivers, and families and supports the culture of the children and families. We know from brain development research that it is critical for children to be able to learn to trust, and to form lasting relationships with their parents and primary caregivers in order for them to be ready for school and successful as adults. Family child care offers the individual attention to children that helps them to thrive and learn through play....

“We face [a]…challenge in the field of family child care — respect for providers and the profession. We know all too well that the term babysitter is still used when referring to a provider. This is not a semantics game. Until we raise respect for providers, for the profession, for the early childhood field at large, we will never be able to raise the income for those who work with our youngest citizens....

“The National Association for Family Child Care has built a strong foundation for our field. We have been working to meet the needs of providers for 25 years. We are up to the challenges we face and are excited to look forward to many more years of connecting providers and advocates one by one to the support systems that will make them strong. We are creating models of excellence every day.”

Art of Leadership on Sale!

This week The Art of Leadership: Managing Early Childhood Organizations is on sale at the Exchange web site. This comprehensive guidebook includes sections on leadership, organizational management, financial management, personnel management, program development, and community relations.

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