In 2024, the Heldrich Center launched a statewide survey of registered family child care (FCC) providers in New Jersey as part of the Rutgers Child Care Research Collaborative, an initiative focused on child care in the state. The survey asked individuals who provide child care in their homes to share their voices and experiences — from what inspires them to enter and stay in the field, to the challenges they face in their daily work, and their ideas for making child care a more sustainable and rewarding profession.

The Collaborative has now released a new report, Voices of the Family Child Care Workforce in New Jersey: Findings from a Statewide Survey of Providers, which brings those perspectives to light. Among the key findings:

• FCC providers enjoy their work. Many expressed pride and joy in caring for children and supporting families.
• Daily challenges are real and diverse. FCC providers cited difficulty taking time off, limited resources, and the complex needs of children in their care. 
• Pay and benefits matter. Low compensation and limited benefits drive dissatisfaction, prompt some providers to consider other jobs, and fuel recommendations for policy changes. 
• Professional trainings are valued — but sometimes difficult to complete. Providers want to participate in more training opportunities, especially to better support children with special needs.
• Policy changes could make a difference. FCC providers called on the state to raise wages, allow them to care for more children, and offer state-sponsored health benefits.

The report, authored by Liana Lin and Andrea Hetling, Ph.D., gives policymakers and the public a clearer picture of what FCC providers need to thrive — and why supporting them is vital for New Jersey’s families.