Childcare Landscape Study - Flipbook - Page 83
Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study Results
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24 years in the director's position. Most surveyed licensed home-based programs have
operated for years, suggesting continuity among providers who have successfully entered
and remain in the licensed child care market in greater Davidson County.
Directors also report being financially stable. All 14 home-based Child Care Provider
Survey respondents reported breaking even or operating profitably, and almost all directors
who responded (90%) reported rarely or never working without pay. Importantly, however,
these responses only reflect the perspectives of a group of directors who have successfully
entered and remained in the licensed child care market.
Additionally, home-based survey respondents indicate that they find state child care licensing
and regulatory processes manageable (9 of 11 respondents). However, these responses only
reflect the perspectives of directors who have successfully completed the licensing process and
remained in operation. The overall prevalence of unlicensed home-based child care in the
region is unknown, and the Child Care Provider Survey does not capture the experiences of
prospective providers who may have attempted to become a licensed home-based provider but
were unsuccessful. Barriers associated with licensing, startup costs, or regulatory requirements
may influence whether new programs enter the greater Davidson County licensed home-based
child care market, identifying an area for further inquiry.13
Moreover, the small population of licensed home-based providers and limited information
about prospective providers raise a unique conundrum on the long-term sustainability of
licensed home-based care in greater Davidson County. When a market is comprised of many
long-established providers, future supply depends on whether new programs can enter,
complete licensure requirements, and overcome any additional barriers to entry. In a system
with only 29 licensed programs, even a small number of retirements or closures could
meaningfully reduce the already limited access to home-based child care.
Overall, survey findings indicate that existing licensed home-based programs are often
financially stable and operated by directors with extensive industry experience.
Simultaneously, the small number of existing licensed home-based child care programs may
indicate limited overall market entry. Expanding access to home-based child care in greater
Davidson County would require continued support for established programs and the
successful entry of new licensed providers.
Conclusion
In this brief, Child Care Provider Survey results from the 14 home-based respondents
suggest that existing licensed home-based child care programs in greater Davidson County
often have directors with extensive industry experience and are operating at or near full
licensed capacity with few, if any, open slots available to families currently seeking homebased child care. These findings reflect a mature and stable home-based child care market
that serves existing programs and currently enrolled families well, but offers limited room
for growth and limited access for families seeking licensed home-based child care,
especially for those seeking infant care.
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center 2025
www.pn3policy.org
