Excitement and applause filled the air at the Sacred Heart Discovery Science Center as the latest cohort of family child care providers graduated from All Our Kin’s Business Series on June 15th.
This group of more than 20 educators, representing All Our Kin’s New Haven, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford service areas, are among 29 graduates who will provide care for approximately 230 children, offering much-needed support to local families.
When it comes to opening a successful family child care program, becoming a strong early childhood educator is one part of the journey. It also takes a deep understanding of how to run that business.
All Our Kin’s free 10-week Business Series, available in both English and Spanish, is offered to early childhood educators who are seeking guidance and community to prepare for the realities of owning a small business.
In the series, educators learn how to successfully manage everything from marketing their programs to creating contracts to handling risk management, accounting, and tax-record keeping.
“Educators face many challenges along the way and tax season was one of the most stressful and scary times of the year for me, said Myrian Yacelga, one of the graduates in attendance. “So, I enrolled with the Business Series at All Our Kin which helped me prepare for tax season and organize my finances.”
While the majority of educators who complete All Our Kin’s licensing or business programming report an increased income of $5,000 or more annually, this programming isn't just beneficial to families and educators – it also strengthens the local economy.
Family child care offers a unique advantage – small, personalized settings that cater to individual needs. This flexibility is a lifesaver for parents with non-traditional work schedules. But as Jill Keating Herbst, All Our Kin's Vice President of Connecticut, points out, "This only happens if educators are prepared for the demands of being small business owners."
Studies show that four to five parents can go to work with every new family child care business opened, and for every dollar invested in All Our Kin’s family child care programming, there is $15-$20 in economic benefits to the region.
Another softer benefit of completing the Business Series is the community that it can build amongst educators themselves.
“And that’s what it’s about. It’s about community,” said Janelle Cooper, another educator who completed the series. “For all of us educators who are setting up family child care centers, we’re now family. We’re now connected. We can reach out to one another.”
Thanks to $250,000 in Enterprise Capital philanthropic support in 2024-2025 from the Connecticut Health & Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA), All Our Kin is poised to expand its reach.
This means more educators across the state, including those in rural areas, will have access to these vital services. This includes expanding the Business Series and offering support for educators seeking national accreditation.
Are you thinking about opening your own high-quality family child care businesses? Learn more about the All Our Kin Business Series here.