Family Child Care Definitions

Florida Family Child Care Home Association, Inc.

FFCCHA is statewide nonprofit professional organization. Membership is open to all regulated family child care providers, parents, and advocates of quality care. We promote professional growth by hosting an annual statewide conference, quarterly meetings with training sessions, and publish a newsletter which includes a parent’s page. Some of the training, conference workshops, and newsletters are also available in Spanish. We offer scholarships for NAFCC national accreditation, CDA credential, and some in-service training.

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News Release
FFCCHA is proud to announce that family child care ranks FIRST in the nation in several areas:

Highest number of Nationally Accredited homes
Highest number of National Association members
Highest number of National CDA’s awarded
Highest number of Second Helping graduates**
Highest number of Second Helping Instructors
Highest number of Master Providers
Highest number of training hours required prior to start up
Highest percentage of state association members*
Highest percentage of local associations*
Highest percentage of State Conference attendees*
Highest percentage of quarterly state association meeting attendees*

* As compared to the number of regulated providers in our state
** Second Helping is a 32 hour advanced training for family child care providers.

When: January 12, 2003

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BENEFITS OF MIXED-AGE GROUPS FOR THE CHILD

1. DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE. The mixed-age environment is a very normal and natural setting. The real world is full of people all ages just as the child's family, neighborhood, and community. (Most daycare centers and schools are age segregated, having separate rooms for each age.)
2. PROVIDER STABILITY. Children are not moved to a new classroom and new teacher when they have a birthday or master a certain skill. It is tough for parents and child to frequently have to transfer feelings of comfort and affection to another caregiver.
3. INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION. Provider is more acceptable to uneven development. She is able to focus on each child as an individual rather than one of the babies or 3 year olds. Teachers of same-age groups are tempted to expect children to learn at the same pace.
4. FAMILY AND SIBLING-LIKE RELATIONSHIPS can be fostered, and are sources of affection, comfort, and closeness. Research has shown that age is not an important factor for friendship choices.
5. EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT ROLES. The child has the opportunity to play various roles such as the youngest, middle, or oldest of the group and therefore have exposure to different learning experiences.
6. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ENHANCED. The child has the opportunity to interact with a variety of behavior and continuously practice cooperative work and play skills (sharing, taking turns, expressing feelings, etc.)
7. BUILDS LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND SELF-ESTEEM. The older children have the opportunity to lead, instruct, assume responsibility, nurture others and to strengthen their own skills and knowledge already acquired in the process of tutoring others.
8. LEARNING FROM OTHER CHILDREN. The younger children are exposed to more complex play, advanced language, and educational activities by observing and imitating the older children. They often learn better from children than adults.
9. THERAPEUTIC FOR "AT RISK" CHILDREN. Children with difficulty following rules are encouraged to remind the younger ones of the rules and therefore learn to obey and control their own behavior. And children with low self-esteem have an opportunity to refine their social skills and interact in a non-competitive way around the younger children.
10. MINIMIZES COMPETITIVE PRESSURES. The children are at various levels and will have age-specific needs at different times. They will not be compared with or need to compete with their same-age peers.
11. "WAITING TIME" IS MINIMIZED. Activities are coordinated for all ages. The older children can assist in activities, hand washing, etc.

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Florida Statute 402.301.7
(7)  ”Family day care home” means an occupied residence in which child care is regularly provided for children from at least two unrelated families and which receives a payment, fee, or grant for any of the children receiving care, whether or not operated for profit. A family day care home shall be allowed to provide care for one of the following groups of children, which shall include those children under 13 years of age who are related to the caregiver:
(a)  A maximum of four children from birth to 12 months of age.
(b)  A maximum of three children from birth to 12 months of age, and other children, for a maximum total of six children.
(c)  A maximum of six preschool children if all are older than 12 months of age.
(d)  A maximum of 10 children if no more than 5 are preschool age and, of those 5, no more than 2 are under 12 months of age.
(8)  ”Large family child care home” means an occupied residence in which child care is regularly provided for children from at least two unrelated families, which receives a payment, fee, or grant for any of the children receiving care, whether or not operated for profit, and which has at least two full-time child care personnel on the premises during the hours of operation. One of the two full-time child care personnel must be the owner or occupant of the residence. A large family child care home must first have operated as a licensed family day care home for 2 years, with an operator who has had a child development associate credential or its equivalent for 1 year, before seeking licensure as a large family child care home. A large family child care home shall be allowed to provide care for one of the following groups of children, which shall include those children under 12 years of age who are related to the caregiver:
(a)  A maximum of 8 children from birth to 24 months of age.
(b)  A maximum of 12 children, with no more than 4 children under 24 months of age.

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WHAT FFCCHA OFFERS PROVIDERS

SCHOLARSHIPS
For state conference, trainings, credentials and accreditation
LEGISLATION INVOLVEMENT
Changes, awareness, and input on FL Statutes that directly affect family child care, children, and parent choice
REPRESENTATION
A voice “at the table” at statewide meetings on topics such as Partnership Quality Initiatives, Inclusion, CCDF (Child Care Development Fund) Plan, UPK Universal Pre-Kindergarten,
FL W.A.G.E.S., DCF rule changes
PUBLIC AWARENESS
New campaign “ There’s No Place Like Home” with brochure, 16 page booklet, video, and power point presentation
Display tables and workshops at other statewide conferences, such as One Goal, ECA, Forum, and local conferences, School Readiness Coalitions, and other community organizations
Quarterly Newsletter: The Grapevine
Internet exposure: www.familychildcare.org
TRAINING
Annual conference, quarterly meetings, annual leadership summit, local associations
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Parent memberships, Parent Choice Award, Parent page in Grapevine, Letters to Parents, Full page color ad to parents in the Child Care Directories in 9 areas around the state
M.E.N.T.O.R PROGRAM
Providers can get helpful advice and tips from peer Mentors or become a state certified mentor to other providers

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