Over 200,000 providers are state regulated, with significant variation in the regulation rules from state to state. Probably at least another million providers are caring for children without being regulated, either because they care for only one or two children and aren't required to be regulated, or because they are operating illegally. Regulated family child care providers are almost exclusively women, usually caring for three to eight children other than their own. They tend to earn relatively little income from their business. Incomes, however, vary greatly.
Many providers have a working spouse and thus a larger family income.
Reaching the Providers Family child care providers tend to be difficult to find. In order to effectively identify providers to market your services, Enrolled Agents should work through one of the three networks listed below. Almost every regulated family child care provider is actively connected to one of these three networks. In more rural areas, one agency may cover several counties. Sometimes these lists may be purchased for a fee.