Child Care Provider Associations

There is a broad network of child care provider associations that advocate for children and families and provide valuable resources and information to licensees of Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers.

• California Alternative Payment Program Association (CAPPA) was created to serve as a voice for a mixed delivery system of public and private community-based agencies dedicated to connecting poor families and their children to child care and early learning. CAPPA provides ongoing support services to child care programs and providers and access to information and connection to child nutrition programs, resource libraries, and continuing education opportunities.
• California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAEYC) serves and acts on behalf of the needs and rights of young children with primary focus on the provision of educational services and resources to adults who work with and for children from birth through age eight.
• California Family Child Care Network's (CFCCN) mission is to powerfully impact family child care by providing a highly effective state-wide network. Their purpose is to benefit children and the community by providing support, education, and information related to quality child care.
• Californians for Quality Early Learning (CQEL) aims to advance early learning quality by supporting programs in integrating best practices and advocating for thriving mixed delivery systems for children and families.
• Child Care Providers United is a union comprised of 40,000 family child care providers across the state who are members of SEIU Local 99, SEIU Local 521, and UDW/AFSCME Local 3930. CCPU is dedicated to improving the child care profession and ensuring every child has access to quality early learning and care.
• EveryChild California is a nonprofit association that inspires leadership in early learning and education and increase opportunities to expand quality publicly funded early care and education (ECE) programs across California.
• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is working to prioritize the role of family child care and promote access, affordability and quality of early care and education. NAFCC is the only professional association dedicated specifically to promoting high-quality early childhood experiences in the unique environment of family child care programs.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.