Summary

This brief presents key findings from a study that examined family child care (FCC) educators’ perspectives on state and national efforts to require higher levels of education and credentials for early educators. Based on data from 19 virtual focus groups with 95 FCC educators across 20 states, the study shows that educators recognize the importance of continuing education but raise concerns about mandatory qualification requirements.

The educators identified barriers such as inadequate compensation, limited access to higher education, and curricula that do not fit home-based settings. The educators also stressed the need for policies that account for their experience and provide financial support to help them attain higher qualifications.

These findings suggest that policymakers need to consider these factors to support FCC educators in attaining qualifications.

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