In March we celebrate Women’s History Month. In our day to day, we often overlook the essential work women perform to keep our communities functioning and in supporting working families, one of these is the integral work of family child care educators (FCCEs). Emerging alongside industrialization and the rise of women joining the workforce, the gap in childcare needs gave rise to family child care education programs. Today, FCCE programs are mainframes of the early childhood education (ECE) infrastructure where young minds are educated, supported, and encouraged. FCCEs serve as teachers, mentors, role models, and pillars of stability, providing nurturing, home-like environments and often working tirelessly behind the scenes in a field that is essential, yet underappreciated.
In the mid 20th century, states began to formalize licensure processes for family child care programs to ensure all children were receiving quality care and education following best practice standards within the ECE field. Some of which include:
Recent reports indicate that 95% of child care workers are women. And although Black people make up only 13% of the total U.S. workforce, 18 percent of U.S. child care workers are Black. In Rhode Island, the FCCE workforce is almost exclusively women and 75% Latina. There are approximately 400 family child care programs in Rhode Island, with 90% participating in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Programs are spread throughout the state, with the highest concentration in the inner cities of Cranston, Central Falls, Pawtucket, and Providence.
When we take a closer look, we find that Providence-based FCCEs account for 7% of licensed early learning program slots statewide but a staggering 24% of CCAP statewide, demonstrating the invaluable niche of CCAP FCCEs in providing families - particularly those in urban settings and with low-income - with equitable access to early education and care services.
FCCEs have fought for fair pay, access to high-quality professional development, and respect in the ECE field for decades. In the 1970s, they pressured the Governor to double their hourly rates, from 30 cents an hour to 60. In the 1990s, they won health insurance through Direct Action for Rights & Equality, making Rhode Island the only state with this benefit. The Day Care Justice Co-Op, formed in 2000, began pushing for a contract with the state.
Facing cuts to funding and provider pay in the early 2000s, the Co-Op affiliated with SEIU District 1199NE in 2004, leading to a petition for union recognition. Despite setbacks, including a vetoed bill and the Great Recession, they persevered, inspired by other states' successes. Their efforts culminated in 2013, when the General Assembly passed a bill granting union rights, and the following year, 390 providers voted to form a union.
Since then, they’ve secured two contracts with raises, paid sick and vacation time, and a training fund. As contract renegotiations for 2025 continue, the goal is to further improve worker conditions, benefits, and professional development opportunities.
As we reflect on the contributions of women this month, let us not forget the unsung heroes who provide foundational care and education to our youngest learners. Family child care educators are not only shaping the future of children but also paving the way for a more equitable and supportive society, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive
When asked why she has dedicated 25 years to child and youth development, the answer comes easily to Crisolide Rodriguez: she wants to help her community by preparing children for the future. Cris, a home-based family child care educator and owner of NBC Child Care in West Warwick, RI, feels most satisfied when “a child goes home for the day having learned something new.”
She believes that in order to offer high-quality care which parents can trust, a home-based educator must have access to ongoing resources and trainings, starting with the entrepreneurial pathway. Cris has dedicated hundreds of hours participating in, designing, and co-facilitating SEIU Training & Support Fund entrepreneurial courses and small business support programs. She feels more prepared having the fundamental business acumen - marketing, financial management and time-space percentage, etc - necessary to successfully run her business. Cris says, “Knowing how to manage the money that comes in and goes out has changed the trajectory of my program. Accounting: this can take your program into the future or crush it.”
Cris reminds home-based child care educators that they are early childhood professionals and small business owners. Her focus always goes back to learning: “The more we know, the more we can offer our families.” While she recognizes that the work of home-based educators is minimized and not always valued, Cris encourages her colleagues to never give up: “Even when we feel stuck, there is always a tomorrow.”
