FFN stands for Family, Friend and Neighbor care. FFN providers are non-licensed child care providers that serve four or fewer children in a single setting. These providers make local childcare more accessible by offering trusted child care for families, allowing guardians peace of mind and more free time to invest in their careers or other daily tasks. It is estimated that more than half of Colorado families depend on child care provided by grandparents, aunts, relatives, friends, nannies, or neighbors, proving that FFN providers are an essential part of the early childhood workforce.
FFN ADVISORY COUNCIL
This group was created by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) as the first legislatively-mandated FFN Advisory Council in the nation. The group includes transformational leaders who:
- Have deep appreciation and concern for FFN providers
- Continually find ways to empower and open doors for FFN providers
The purpose of the FFN Advisory Council is to advise the CDEC, legislators, and other organizations about the needs of FFN providers and to make recommendations on changes to regulations, policies, and procedures that would benefit the FFN community.
The FFN Advisory Council Vision:
The FFN Advisory Council elevates family, friend, and neighbor caregivers as essential members of Colorado's early childhood workforce and advocates for equitable access to resources, education, and opportunities.
The council meets every month on the 2nd Thursday, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
CDEC - Division of Early Childhood Workforce is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85275997378
Meeting ID: 852 7599 7378
Public folder:
Access to Agendas, Meeting Minutes, Board Member List, news, and more here!
Staff Contact
Please reach out to Cristina Herman with any questions.
FFN Newsletter
Sign up for the Family, Friend and Neighbor Newsletter here.
FFN SUPPORT PROGRAM
This project creates a training and grant program for community-based and non-profit organizations to offer credentialed (non-licensed) training programs, resources, and technical assistance to FFN providers.
The purpose of the FFN Support Program is to support community-based organizations that have expertise working with FFN providers. It supplies them with information, training, and materials that will help them empower FFN providers with skills and knowledge regarding child development, social and emotional development, best practices, and technical assistance to access existing state programs.
Technical assistance will provide equitable access to new technologies. The training and support program is culturally competent and linguistically appropriate to meet the needs of the FFN community and the virtual format of these courses ensures that the trainings are available to rural providers who often cannot access such offerings.
For more information on training programs, visit our partner website.
RESOURCES
Regulation
- Legal Exemption from Child Care Licensing
- CCCAP qualified exempt information
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Child Care Licensing