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Family child care providers describe post'pandemic challenges, call for better pay and supports
Summary
A panel facilitated by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame featured family child care providers who described racialized histories of childcare, post'COVID developmental delays among children, long work hours and the need for decent wages and provider supports.
A facilitated panel during the Office of Early Childhood webinar featured family child care providers and advocates describing the sector's practical challenges and community commitments.
Artie Hill, education program manager at the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, moderated and introduced panelists who spoke from personal experience as home'based and family child care providers. Panelists emphasized the importance of self'care, apprenticeship and accreditation routes that help providers improve program quality.
Keo Bennett described building a family child care business, achieving accreditation and balancing professional development with personal and business demands. "By offering a high quality care, I enable parents to go to work," Keo said, noting the community impact of stable child care.
Rhonda Knowles, a home'based educator with more than three decades of experience, outlined specific challenges she sees in the classroom since COVID: more children with speech and behavior concerns, delays in diagnosis, and added paperwork when pediatric medical sections are incomplete. "Since COVID, I've noticed that the children are not as, good... They have development delays," she said, and urged parents to seek developmental screenings and referrals to early intervention services.
Rhonda also described co'chairing an apprenticeship program designed to support home'based educators in earning credentials (CDA and other accreditations cited in the transcript) and stressed the need for living wages so providers do not need second jobs. Panelists repeated a call for more access to professional development and systemic supports for family child care programs.
The moderator closed by asking what keeps providers motivated; panelists pointed to children's progress, long'term relationships with families and the positive outcomes they see over years of service. The session ended with thanks to contributors and a reminder to complete the webinar survey.
