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Tennessee Family Child Care Network

A statewide program to support, promote and strengthen the profession of licensed family child care educators, thereby enriching the lives of providers, children, families, and communities. 

The Tennessee Family Child Care Network (TFCCN) is designed to support current family child care providers and mentor aspiring child care providers to meet the care needs of our state’s children and families. All educators (licensed, unregulated, authorized) can join the Network to strengthen their business and improve their program quality.

All services and programs are free of charge.

The Tennessee Family Child Care Network can assist with:

Peer to Peer Mentoring
The Tennessee Family Child Care Network offers training and supports using a relationship-based peer mentoring approach, where seasoned family child care providers offer guidance and expertise in high quality home-based early childhood education.

Linkage and Engagement
The Network links providers to resources and partnering organizations, engages providers through regional and statewide conferences, and promotes entrepreneurship and small business development opportunities.

New Provider Supports
Network Advisors support new providers through relationship-based professional development that enriches the home-based program, encourages the provider, and offers guidance for program success and positive impacts for children in their care.

National FCC Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™
The Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ is the most widely recognized credential in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and is a key stepping stone on the path of career advancement in ECE. The Network offers non-academic courses that support and nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development of children.

NAFCC Accreditation
NAFCC Accreditation is recognized as one of the highest indicators of quality in a home-based care program. Family child care providers achieve this high level of quality through a process that examines all aspects of a family child care program. Licensed family child care providers who want to earn NAFCC accreditation will be supported by the Network throughout the entire process, from self-study to renewal. 

Become a Mentor
The Family Child Care Network is looking for new Mentors.  Running a child care program from your home can be an isolating experience. As a Mentor, you have the opportunity to share your knowledge of child care practices, child development, and business administration with Protégés in our peer to peer mentoring program.

The minimum qualifications to become a Mentor include:

• Experience of three years or longer as a licensed Tennessee Family or Group Home Provider.
• Good standing of High Quality child care with DHS Licensing
• Must be an NAFCC Accredited program or on the NAFCC waitlist for accreditation

Participating Mentors receive a stipend following each Protégé’s completed mentoring sessions. Contact your Advisor for more information or to apply.  

Meet the Tennessee Family Child Care Network Team

Sujata Dukes Interim Director/Family Child Care Network Lead Manager sdukes5@tnstate.edu
Erica Babb Family Child Care Network Advisor - East Tennessee ebabb@tnstate.edu	Zora Bates Family Child Care Network Lead Advisor zbates@tnstate.edu	Tammy Brewer Family Child Care Network Advisor - West Tennessee tbrewer8@tnstate.edu
Porsha Dixon West Tennessee Regional Manager pdixon5@tnstate.edu	Deanna French East Tennessee Regional Manager dfrench5@tnstate.edu	Shwanna Heard Family Child Care Network Advisor - East Tennessee sheard3@tnstate.edu
Bobbie Olsen Family Child Care Network Advisor – Middle Tennessee bolsen@tnstate.edu	Shelia Westbrooks Family Child Care Network Advisor - Middle Tennessee swestbr4@tnstate.edu

Our Advisors and Family Child Care Specialists are available for virtual or in-person training and home visits.