The Love Connection: Season 2 Show Notes

• Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care is a type of child care that the state does not require to be licensed, sometimes called "license-exempt" or “unlicensed” child care. It is provided in a home by a family member, friend, or a neighbor. Click here to learn more about which kinds of child care need to be licensed.

• Trustline is a state-wide registry that provides background screenings for license exempt and in-home child care providers (nannies and babysitters), as well as professional supervised visitation monitors, child care staff, etc.

• Learn more about Erik Erikson’s theory of psychological development, which emphasizes the importance of trust between a caregiver and child.

• According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, the development of a child’s brain architecture is the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health outcomes.

• What is home-based child care and why is it so valuable?

• A new Surgeon General study explores the effects of parental stress on young children.

• Early Edge California’s policy brief (see pg 4.) highlights the stark differences between licensed and unlicensed provider pay.

• Black Californians United for Early Care and Education (BlackECE) is a powerful coalition that advocates for equity-based policies/practices that focus on Black children, families, and the ECE workforce.
• There is a growing body of research that finds almost all children develop racial and other biases by kindergarten, and that those biases become more entrenched by adolescence. Visit EmbraceRace to read more.
• Child Care Aware published the following article on the critical role of Grandparents in child care.
• Explore Catalyst California’s resources on what systemic racism could look like within the ECE field and How Racism Can Affect Child Development.
• Explore Caregiver Motivation, Identity, and Resilience from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment.
• What does Raising Biracial and Bi-Ethnic Young Children look like and what are some considerations?
• Myth Busting Young Children Learning Multiple Languages.
• What does science say about Bilingualism in the Early Years?
• Why is Supporting Positive Racial Identity Development in Black Children vital?
• What does Family, Friend, Neighbor, and Nanny Care in California look like?
• Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care
• How George Floyd’s death affected Black and White families differently.
• How systemic racism and sexism affects child care providers, placing them among some of the lowest paid workers in the U.S.
• How the US Child Care System Relies on Women of Color, but Structural Barriers Systematically Disadvantage Them.
• How we can increase access to FFN caregiving wages through California’s Child Care Subsidy system.
• Survey of Home-based Early Care and Education Providers: Counts and Characteristics.

• Communication between FFNs and parents enables them to build positive relationships. Healthy relationships enable caregivers to provide the best care possible for children. Here are 3 things providers can do when communicating with parents.

• It is natural and healthy for new parents to feel anxious. Anxiety that helps us do what we need to do is good for us. But anxiety that gets on top of us and shuts us down is not. It often seems daunting to find trusted child care. For additional assistance locating child care, visit your local child care Resource & Referral agency.

• Activities for caregivers to enjoy with babies that build brains and executive function skills.

• There are 5 “Rs” for family engagement—Respect, Responsiveness & Reassurance, Relationship, Reciprocity, and Reflection—which help caregivers build trust and promote positive communication with parents.

• Children are unique, and helping them manage their responses to sensory overload is specific to each child. Here are some tips for helping children with overstimulation.

• Encourage your baby by narrating what you do and what they do. Interacting with children can help build relationships and foster language development; here is a 3½ minute video (available in English and Spanish) with examples of the everyday ways families talk, sing, and play together.

• What is the science behind the first 3 years of a child’s life?

• Learn more about: Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care.

• Research suggests there are benefits to young children having/doing chores.

• Gardening involves different learning experiences: science, motor skills, hands-on learning, etc. Read more on how gardening with young children helps their development.

• Exploring FFN caregiver Motivations, Identities, and Resilience: A study of FFN, and Nanny Care in CA (pt.2).

• Learn about the importance of having a community to support parents and children.

• Learn how FFNs are struggling financially nationwide and what Home Grown suggests as key policy recommendations.

• Why is it important for fathers and male caregivers to be involved in a child’s life?

• Learn about the perspectives and experiences of men in the ECE field. What does it mean to build a gender-balanced workforce and what does it look like to support male teachers?

En Español

• Esta hoja informativa de Home Grown incluye información sobre los diferentes tipos de cuidado infantil que se ofrecen en el hogar. Puede encontrar más información acerca de los cuidadores FFN en la segunda página Cuidado Infantil Basado en el Hogar — Hoja Informativa

• El aprender dos o más idiomas en los primeros años de vida tiene muchas ventajas para el desarrollo. Visite este artículo para más información Multilingüismo: múltiples beneficios | ZERO TO THREE

• La música y los cánticos son una herramienta poderosa de aprendizaje. Para aprender más sobre los beneficios de la música visite CHS Blog - Aprender y establecer relaciones con canciones y movimientos de dedos

• Las habilidades motoras finas son importantes para el desarrollo de los niños. Para más información visite Habilidades motoras finas | First 5 California

• La integración familiar en la educación es un pilar fundamental para el éxito de sus hijos. Para más información visite La importancia integración familiar en actividades educativas | by Iris Y Santiago Medina | Medium

• Las redes de apoyo son aquellas personas que ofrecen apoyo emocional y práctico, lea más sobre cómo crear una red de apoyo para sus hijos aquí 4 maneras de ayudar a su hijo a construir una red de apoyo

• Lea más sobre qué son las experiencias traumáticas y factores protectores aquí ¿Qué son las experiencias traumáticas? - Sesame Workshop

• El resumen ejecutivo de Early Edge Aumentar El Acceso a Salarios Para Cuidadores De Familiares, Amigos y Vecinos a Través Del Sistema De Subsidios Para Cuidado Infantil De California tiene como objetivo crear conciencia sobre el importante papel de los cuidadores FFN y los desafíos que enfrentan cuando se trata de compensación.

• Esta publicación explora cómo las relaciones entre padres de familia y proveedores son un aspecto importante del cuidado infantil FFN Care and Thriving Parent/Provider Relationships – Cuidado de Familia, Amigos, y Vecinos (FFN) y relaciones prósperas entre padres y proveedores | Parent Voices

En Inglés

• This fact sheet from Home Grown includes the different types of Home Based Child Care. More information about FFN caregivers can be found on the pg.2 of the Home-Based Child Care-Fact Sheet.
• Learning two or more languages ​​in the first years of a child's life has many advantages for development. For more information visit: Multilingualism: multiple benefits | ZERO TO THREE.
• What are the benefits of Learning and Building Relationships with Songs and Finger Movements?
• Learn how and why Fine motor skills are important for children's development.
• What is The importance of family integration in educational activities?
• 4 ways to help your child build a support network.
• What are traumatic experiences? - Sesame Workshop.
• What does it mean to increase Access to Salaries for Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers through the CA Subsidy System?
• Learn how parent/provider relationships are an important aspect of child care: Family, Friends, and Neighbors (FFN) Care and Thriving Parent/Provider Relationships.
  

• Connections between children and their caregivers are important. When they are healthy, these bonds help developing children feel secure. This special early bond is called attachment.
• Continuity in care for young children is valuable. This flyer outlines how building a positive relationship between a caregiver and a young child fosters healthy social and emotional development.

• This paper explores children’s understanding of “home” and “belonging,” observing how safety and comfort are essential in children’s sense of feeling “at home.”

• Read about the importance of elevating high-quality FFN care to support children’s development and increase equity in early childhood education outcomes.

• Learn how FFN caregivers offer more flexibility to families who work non-traditional schedules.

• Who are FFNs and nannies in California, and what do their arrangements with families look like?

• Read this heartwarming blog: A Love Letter to FFN Caregivers.

• Learn about different strategies for supporting Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers.

• How, when, and why parents seek and select child care and early education for their children?

• Learn about Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion in Early Childhood.

• Explore the Sesame Workshop for parenting tips and resources.

• Learn how and in what ways racism harms children.

• Discover how Teachers' implicit bias against black students starts in preschool.

• "Treat Them Like Human Beings”: Black Children’s Experiences with Racial Microaggressions in Early Childhood Education During COVID-19 - PMC

• Explore national data that revealed how Most Parents Don’t Have Any Formal Child Care Arrangements.

• Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care.

• What are parent preferences in Family, Friend, Neighbor, and Nanny Care?

• Exploring FFN caregiver Motivations, Identities, and Resilience: A study of FFN, and Nanny Care in CA (pt.2).

• Learn more about Bilingualism in the Early Years: What the Science Says.

• Learn more about Family, Friend, and Neighbor and License-Exempt Child Care.

• This report highlights parental care choices—both current and ideal—and the value that Family, Friend, Neighbor (FFN) and nanny care holds for California parents: Parent Preferences in Family, Friend, Neighbor, and Nanny Care.

• Learn about The Invisible Work of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers and Its Importance for Immigrant and Dual Language Learner Families.

• This project found that FFN Caregivers seek additional resources and trainings to enhance the quality of their care Understanding the Strengths of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care.

• Read more about the Effects of Music on Child Development: 9 Positive Effects.

• Learn more about STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR CARE PROVIDERS

• California’s child care workforce is still 10% smaller than it was before the pandemic, as low wages contribute to acute staffing shortages. Learn why Many California child care workers not coming back.

• Learn more about parent preferences and the high need for child care with non-traditional/flexible hours.

• What are the impacts of financial hardship on single parents?

• Are grandmothers who provide childcare key in driving the US economy?

• Find out why, and how, too much screen time can harm your child: the importance of activities.

• The power of Father Figures in children’s lives.

• Learn about the importance of grandparents in children’s development.

• This report highlights the trusting relationships FFN care providers build with the families and children they care for.

• Exploring FFN caregiver Motivations, Identities, and Resilience: A study of FFN, and Nanny Care in CA (pt.2).

• Learn about the financial struggles that many FFNs experience and the recommendations for supporting FFN providers.