Licensing Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers: Paradoxes and Possibilities

Many family, friend and neighbor caregivers are “hidden” and receive little support and limited monitoring. Small group size, extended relationships with the children, and similar cultural backgrounds are associated with higher quality care. But these caregivers typically have little or no formal training in child development or child safety. One potential solution to this problem is to help caregivers navigate the procedures to become licensed family child care providers. This paper identifies issues related to licensing family, friend and neighbor caregivers and explores the relationship between licensing and child care quality