MVCS - Family Child Care Network

With the support of MVYouth, we launched the Family Child Care Capital Needs Project in 2023. The Project connects prospective Family Child Care Providers with the funds needed to complete the renovations required to honor Massachusetts licensing requirements. We are currently working with 2 strong applicants. When licensed, their programs will create 12 new child care slots in our community. Our goal is to license 9 additional programs in a 5-year period, creating 54 new slots! MVYouth has also generously supported the Family Child Care Network’s Lending Library, supplying enriching curriculum materials to the 11 programs in the Network. The materials enhance the educational experience of the 60 plus children served by the Network. The Library has also strengthened the relationships between Providers, creating new opportunities for connection and collaboration! We have continued to build a comprehensive system of supports for the Providers in the Network, utilizing community partnerships to enhance our efforts. In 2023 we received grant funding through the United Way of the Cape and Islands to offer meaningful professional development workshops throughout the year. We have engaged local professionals to share their knowledge and expertise, strengthening the programs within our Network. We also partnered with the local Boards of Health and the Island Wide Youth Collaborative to offer CPR and First Aid in Brazilian Portuguese, supporting existing and prospective Providers in our community. We continued to engage in outreach efforts to attract new Providers to the field. Our Family Child Care Network Coordinator served as a mentor for ACE MV’s Early Childhood Education Cohort, supporting students enrolled in coursework through Cape Cod Community College. One of the participants in this fall’s Cohort has begun the process of applying to be a licensed Family Child Care Provider!

MVCS - Family Child Care Network

This was an exciting year for the Family Child Care Network! With the generous support of MVYouth, MV Community Services launched a Pilot Program to fund a capital project that supported the licensure of one new Family Child Care (FCC) program in our community. FCC programs are a critical part of the early education and care system, serving children between the ages of 0 - 5, in small groups appropriate for their development, in neighborhoods where families live. Our Pilot Project created six new slots for working families in need of early education and care for their young children.

Building on the success of our Pilot Project, we will roll out the Family Child Care Capital Needs Project in 2023! Over the next five years, our goal is to license nine additional programs, creating 54 new slots. The availability of high-quality early education and care options will have a stabilizing effect on children and families in our community and support employers in achieving and maintaining adequate staffing levels. A 2019 report by consultant Sally Sharpe Lehman identified a critical need to increase access to high-quality, affordable early education and care on the Island. We recognize that we must develop new and innovative approaches to address the unmet demand.

The $490,000 Expansion Grant will provide prospective Providers with the capital needed to license their homes. It is also important for Family Child Care Providers to have access to meaningful opportunities for professional development and to connect and collaborate with other Providers. We are committed to creating a comprehensive system of supports, utilizing community partnerships to enhance our efforts. This project builds on the strengths that exist within our early childhood system, allowing us to build an effective workforce and create new opportunities for working families!