Food Access in Home-Based Child Care

Building Equity in Home-Based Child Care with CACFP: Examining whether federal food assistance can more equitably reach low-income children served by home-based child care providers

Project Overview

This study aims to understand how the federally-funded nutrition and food program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), could more equitably reach low-income Illinois children in subsidized home-based child care (HBCC). We consider how provider demographics and program characteristics relate to providers’ access to and provision of nutritious foods. This research is also designed to better understand factors that contribute to HBCC providers’ limited use of CACFP, particularly among license-exempt family, friend and neighbor (FFN) providers. This three-part study includes the following research activities:

Analysis of longitudinal administrative records of subsidized home-based providers in Illinois
Survey of nutrition provision and CACFP program awareness and use among over 300 home-based providers in Cook County, Illinois (Chicagoland area)
Evaluation of one CACFP sponsor’s pilot intervention designed to increase license-exempt providers’ awareness of and participation in the CACFP program

Complete project summary PDF

Collaborators

This research is a collaboration between the University of Chicago and Illinois Action for Children
Co-Principal Investigators: Julia Henly, PhD and David Alexander, PhD

Funding

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Results and Publications

Research Report: Administrative Data Analysis

CACFP Participation among Licensed and License-Exempt Home-Based Child Care Providers in Illinois, 2019-2022

Summary: Our analysis of longitudinal administrative records of subsidized home-based child care (HBCC) providers in Illinois illuminate demographic factors associated with differences in CACFP participation among licensed home-based family child care (FCC) providers and license-exempt home-based / family, friend and neighbor (FFN) providers. Results indicate that in 2021, 77 percent of FCC providers participated in CACFP in Illinois compared to 4 percent of FFN providers. FFN providers with characteristics that resemble FCCs were more likely to participate in CACFP than those who did not resemble FCCs. Over the pandemic, enrollment in both FCC and FFN settings declined, however enrollment declines and recovery were uneven. Enrollment declines were particularly acute for infants, toddlers and Black children on CCAP in FFN settings, and as a result, these children and the providers who cared for them no longer received CACFP, raising questions of equity.

Administrative Data Analysis Report

Coming Soon: Research Brief of Survey Data Analysis

Experiences with CACFP among Licensed and License-Exempt Home-Based Child Care Providers in Cook County, Illinois

Summary: Our survey of 320 licensed and license-exempt home-based child care (HBCC) providers in Cook County, Illinois illuminate demographic factors associated with differences in CACFP participation among home-based providers. Research briefs with full research results are forthcoming.

Survey Data Analysis: DRAFT SUMMARY

Intervention Evaluation: Analysis of Pilot Intervention & Follow-up Interviews

Supporting License-Exempt Home-Based Providers with CACFP: A Pilot Intervention in Cook County, Illinois

Summary: We evaluated an experimental intervention aimed at increasing license-exempt home-based child care (HBCC) providers’ knowledge of and participation in CACFP in Cook County, Illinois. This intervention was implemented in 2023 by Illinois Action for Children, the child care resource and referral agency for Cook County, Illinois. This report describes differences between license-exempt HBCC providers in a standard group vs. the intervention group.

Intervention Evaluation Report

A Qualitative Follow-up Study of a Pilot Intervention to Enhance the Recruitment and Retention of License-Exempt Home Providers in CACFP

Summary: After evaluating an experimental intervention aimed at increasing license-exempt home-based child care (HBCC) providers’ knowledge of and participation in CACFP in Cook County, Illinois, we conducted follow-up interviews with 17 providers. This memo describes qualitative results from these follow-up interviews.

Qualitative Follow-up Study Memo