In this course, you will learn what program management means for a family child care provider and about the roles and responsibilities you can assume that contribute to the overall quality of your program.

This lesson highlights the importance of working collaboratively with others when managing your family child care program. It also explores high-quality practices for children and their families. You will learn about the importance of reflecting on your own experiences and practices to better support your high-quality family child care program.

In this lesson, you will learn how curriculum and the planning and implementing of developmentally appropriate experiences and activities contribute to the management of your family child care program. The importance of professional development also will be explored.

Children develop and learn within all types of families, and family members are the most significant people in young children’s lives. When you view families as complex systems and acknowledge their impact in early childhood, you are better able to develop partnerships with families and help create environments that meet the needs of each child in your care. Strong partnerships with families help make the management of your family child care program smooth and energized. This lesson shares perspectives for understanding families and provides an introduction to family-centered practice.

In this lesson, you will learn about the importance of evaluation as a way to determine whether the services you provide to children in your program are successful well and what aspects of your practice and program may need improvement.

Summary: Effective procedures and efficient processes are essential to your success as a family child care provider. Running a well-organized family child care program requires frequent communication, handling paperwork, professionally addressing problems, and managing day-to-day tasks and administrative responsibilities.