CDAs Develop Support Network

Isolation is a problem for many family child care professionals. MaryBeth Bush, a CDA from Trumbell County, Ohio, relates her personal experience about a network of family child providers who were able to study together, receive their CDAs together, and then unite together for emotional and professional support. This organization went on to become a child care resource for the whole community.

In 1998, I learned that there was funding available for local child care providers who wanted to learn more about early childhood education and to receive the CDA credential. A few of us were inspired to apply for this grant money so we could receive our credentials. We started the process in February, and the grant specified that we must use the funding by June 1, so we had a lot of work to do in a short amount of time. We attended classes two or three nights a week. Sometimes we carpooled together, and we occasionally traveled over 50 miles to find training sessions that were appropriate for our respective child-care situations. Out of this group, eight of us were family child care providers. After spending so much time together, our little group of family child care providers was not ready to be on our own without each other’s support. We decided to meet at a local coffee shop on a monthly basis, and we invited more and more home providers. Eventually, we even invited different speakers to come and speak to us on child care issues.

Our little group took off — we grew and grew. In 1999, we named our organization “H.A.P.P.Y. Homes” (Helping Association for Professional Providers of Young Children). We elected officers, who were all from our original CDA class, and we continued to organize training for home providers and to hold monthly meetings.

In 2002, we were approached by a large foundation in our area, who invited us to apply for a grant, for any innovative ideas we might have about early education. Working with a local university’s extension office, we developed an plan for a 10-month, 5-day-a-week curriculum kit to be used with young children. We applied and received a $40,000 grant, and we were able to provide 50 family child care providers with these kits. This program is named “H.A.P.P.Y. F.A.C.E.S.” (Helping Advance Premium Preschool Years by Focusing on Accomplishments thru Childcare Educational Successes) and it proved to be very successful!

We reapplied the following August and we were granted another $40,000 to continue the program. During the next year, we researched and applied for a 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, and we were now an official nonprofit organization. We expanded and continued the programs and continued receiving grants. In 2006, we were granted $5000 for a program to prevent child abuse. This grant was named “H.A.P.P.Y. H.E.A.R.T.S.” (Helping Advance Premium Preschool Years by Helping Educate, Articulate, Reach, & Teach for Successful families).

We are now in our seventh year and we are still a great organization that is growing every day. Over the years we have won several awards, and our current board members are still some of the founding group members. One long-time member of our original group was just named provider of the year by the local PBS television station and her story will be featured on their website. Our organization continues to advocate for young children and we stay very visible in our community. We are all board members of our local affiliate of NAEYC, called TruMahCol AEYC. You can view our website at http://www.happyhomesdaycareassociation.org/ for more information.