"Our work is to be there": Understanding Latino Immigrant Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care Providers' Motivations, Needs, and Experiences

Abstract

Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) care is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of child care used by families, yet there is far less research on this type of child care compared to others. This study focused on a subpopulation of FFN providers to learn about motivations, needs, and facilitators and barriers to accessing services that are salient within a Latino immigrant context. Qualitative data come from a subsample of a larger study and include five focus groups comprised of 41 Latino immigrant FFN providers; these data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2020). The three themes, "They Need Us”; "We’re Not Babysitters, We’re Providers”; and "To Face the Job at 100%” along with their subthemes capture Latino immigrant FFN providers’ strong commitment and sense of duty to the children and families that they serve. Research and practice implications are discussed.