Family Child Care Homes (FCCHs) have always been and will continue to be a vital part of the early childhood education system. FCCHs are unique in that they offer families and children multiple benefits, such as smaller group sizes, flexible hours, continuity of having the same caregiver over time, and much more..
Child Care Resource Center
Here in Forsyth County, there are a total of 51 licensed family child care homes, including centers in a resident (CIR) providing quality care and learning environments for children and families. The Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) is a nonprofit organization located in the heart of Forsyth County, dedicated to supporting family child care homes through a variety of programs. One of these programs, Stars and Beyond, has been serving and supporting licensed family child care homes since 1999.
Stars and Beyond
Stars and Beyond offers coaching, technical assistance, and professional development training to FCCH providers. The program helps providers maintain developmentally appropriate environments while ensuring compliance with the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) standards. Currently, 24 FCCHs in Forsyth County participate in the Stars and Beyond program, receiving ongoing support to strengthen the quality of care they provide.
This year the focus has been on Conscious Discipline, a social-emotional learning and classroom management program designed to foster self-regulation, emotional intelligence and positive relationships among children and adults. Conscious Discipline begins with an adult first approach, learning how to manage their own thoughts and behaviors, which in turn enables them to model and teach skills to children. An introductory training event was held in March at The Warehouse on Ivy in Winston-Salem. Conscious Discipline trainer, Kim Hughes brought education and enthusiasm to introduce the providers to the concept of how Conscious Discipline benefits both children and adults. The process of learning and implementing Conscious Discipline takes time and patience. Along with the introductory training, providers have participated in Communities of Practices (COP’s) and coaching with an early education coach to help implement strategies learned. Many of the providers participating have stated that the strategies learned so far have made a huge impact on behaviors in their programs. The providers will continue to participate in training and COP’s for the next year to continue to learn and implement Conscious Discipline into their daily routines.
Financial Assistance for FCCH Startup
Another program CCRC offers to potential FCCH providers is the ARPA Family Child Care Start Up grant. Opening a family child care business seems like a simple task, however, there are many expenses and requirements to meet before becoming licensed. This grant helps cover start-up expenses, many of which usually stop individuals from moving forward due to their budget and rising costs of materials. Expenses such as an outdoor fence, materials to furnish the program, inspection and required training fees, are only some of the examples of what goes into the start-up costs. Along with paying for start-up expenses, individuals receiving the grant also have access to an early education coach, helping to navigate their way through the licensing process,which can be confusing and time consuming. Individual coaching and mentoring provides potential providers with help in all aspects of the licensing process from preparing their program for health and safety, choosing developmentally appropriate materials, room arrangement, developing operational policies and much more. To date, the grant has helped three individuals obtain their FCC license and six individuals are currently receiving the grant to help them become licensed. The APRA family child care start up grant ends in December 2025.
Regional FCC Consultant
In 2023, Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) introduced a Regional Family Child Care (FCC) Consultant position through the NC Statewide FCC Project. This role was designed to provide technical assistance (TA), grant opportunities, and professional development training to Family Child Care Home (FCCH) providers across nine counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin. Support was offered to individuals starting a new FCCH, newly licensed providers, and those operating for more than a year.
Since the project’s launch, six Region 10 FCCH providers have received grants and technical assistance in Alleghany, Forsyth, Surry, and Wilkes Counties.
Family Child Care in Every Region 10 County
A major milestone for the region is that Alleghany County will soon have its first licensed FCCH. The provider has successfully completed the grant process, all required training and is now preparing for her initial licensing visit. This is an exciting step forward, expanding child care options for families in Alleghany.
In Davie County, we are making significant progress toward opening a new FCCH. The provider is currently receiving TA to develop her parent handbook, complete all required training, and assistance with setting up her learning environment for both indoor and outdoor. Once licensed, she will become the only licensed FCCH in Davie County, offering a much needed child care option to local families.
Bilingual Support in Forsyth County
In Forsyth County, a dual-language FCCH provider offering care in Spanish and English became licensed. She received both the ARPA grant and the FCC Project’s pre-licensing grant. Through TA, she received support with room arrangement, handbook development, professional development, and preparation for the FCCERS-3 assessment, where she earned an impressive score of 5.28 in program quality. Children in her care are now benefiting from a rich, bilingual learning environment.
Mentorship Program Success
A key component of the project was the Mentorship Program, pairing experienced FCCH providers (with 5+ years of experience) with newly licensed providers. Region 10 stood out with four dedicated mentors from Forsyth and Davidson Counties. Their commitment was truly inspiring. Many mentors continued offering guidance and support even after the formal mentorship ended. This kind of peer connection is invaluable in family child care, where providers often feel isolated. Having someone who truly understands the journey and offers advice, shares strategies, and is a sounding board is priceless.
Communities of Practice (CoPs)
Region 10 launched Communities of Practice (CoPs) in April 2024. Our kickoff event was a “Meet and Greet” that allowed providers across the region to connect and share topics they were most interested in learning more about. Fourteen providers from three counties attended which was a great turnout for our first event.
Our second CoP, held in May 2024, was an even greater success with 27 providers from five counties participating. We invited a guest speaker from NCRLAP who presented on the differences and expectations surrounding the FCCERS-3 assessment. We also discussed the new QRIS rating system. Every attendee received: A training certificate, a FCCERS-3 book, and a $75 Lakeshore gift card to purchase materials for enhancing their learning environments
A highlight from this event was receiving emails and text messages from providers sharing not only what they purchased with their gift cards but also the meaningful “why” behind their purchases. Hearing how these new materials would directly benefit the children in their care was incredibly rewarding. The ultimate goal is to see providers making thoughtful, intentional choices that truly improve the quality of care.
Looking Ahead
While the NC Statewide FCC Project will continue to provide technical assistance to Family Child Care Homes across North Carolina, the Regional FCC Consultant positions concluded on June 30, 2025, due to funding changes. However, the impact of the work accomplished over the past two years will continue to benefit FCCH providers and the children and families they serve.
As for Stars and Beyond, this program will continue to support Forsyth County Family Child Care Homes through technical assistance, professional development training, and grant opportunities, as long as funding allows. FCCH provides a unique and valuable experience for children and their families. Our goal is to ensure that family child care continues to grow and thrive in communities across Forsyth County because they are essential to the early child development education system.