The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the importance of universal access to affordable, high quality child care. For many racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, however, that access has been a long-standing issue. A 2017 CLASP report noted the structural racism that creates and perpetuates inequities and the fragmented U.S. child care system for young children ages birth to 5 years, hinder many people in racial and ethnic minority groups from accessing child care. Quality child care is an important part of any work to advance equity because families need it to achieve economic stability and provide their children with culturally competent care and enriching learning opportunities. To meet their needs, many families have to piece a child care plan together by considering public preschool programs, licensed child care centers, licensed home-based care, and informal care.
We spent several years learning about informal care with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in the Bay Area and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Detroit. This work has helped us develop insights into the critical role that informal providers can play in advancing equitable access to high quality care, and the support they will need to do it.
Based on our partnership with these foundations, we recommend five important steps that other foundations and community partners can take to support informal providers, enhance the quality of care they provide, and positively influence children’s readiness for school and success in life. (author abstract)