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Friend, Family & Neighbor Support
Friend, family, and neighbor (FFN) care providers play a crucial role in supporting individuals, particularly those who may need assistance due to age, illness, or other circumstances. These caregivers offer emotional support, companionship, and practical help, fostering a sense of community and security. FFN caregivers often bridge the gap when professional services are unavailable or unaffordable, making them an essential resource for many families. Their involvement strengthens relationships, provides comfort, and helps maintain well-being, ensuring that loved ones are cared for in a familiar and trusted environment.
Quick FFN Facts
Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) child care providers are legally license-exempt child care providers regularly serving four or fewer children in a single setting.
FFN providers are often grandparents, other relatives, friends or neighbors who offer a more flexible and affordable option for many Colorado families seeking child care.
More than half of Colorado’s families depend on FFN providers, making them a critical part of the early childhood workforce.
Research shows that families of color and immigrant and refugee families are more likely to turn to FFN care providers.
FFN child care providers have not historically received the recognition or resources they deserve.
FFN Resources
Lantern: Tips & Resources for FFNs
We're glad to share that our partner Lantern, formerly known as Bright By Text, is expanding services to continue to connect families to local free, or low cost, events and resources. If you, or someone you know, care for a child who is a family member, friend or neighbor in the state of Colorado, Lantern wants to help! Text FFN to 274 448 to receive tips and resources to help you provide care for the child in your life. This includes info about claiming tax credits (this can be confusing – Lantern breaks it down for you!), professional growth opportunities, connections to other FFN providers and much more. Messages are free and offered in English, Spanish and Arabic.
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Co-Op of Care
ECCLC partners with several organizations around Larimer County to provide the regular Co-Op of Care workshops for FFN providers in our community. The 8 hour workshop includes:
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Breakfast, lunch and snacks
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A participation stipend
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Simultaneous Spanish interpretation and/or Spanish-speaking trainers
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CPR/First Aid certification
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Foundational early childhood training and resources
Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about future training dates!
Grants & Programming
Our partners at Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition have been selected by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood to administer a variety of supports for FFN providers, including:
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PASO Program: a transformative, low-cost, 15-week program dedicated to training and certifying informal childcare providers.
- Grant Opportunities to support FFN providers in the areas of training, technical assistance and materials.
- Dual and mono-language programs to empower parents and families in advocacy, navigating the education system and more.
Somos las FAVAS
Check out the FAVAS program provided by our partners at La Cocina. FAVAS is a community-codesigned initiative for building professional and social-emotional capacity with Latine Friends, Family & Neighbor (FFN) caregivers who provide childcare services in their homes.
FAVA is the acronym used at La Cocina for our Latines Familias, Amigues y Vecines Apoyandose (FFN’s in English). In Spanish, the words fava, faba, or haba all refer to a bean–a seed that, when planted and cultivated, provides nourishment for many of our Latine communities. FAVAS are similar in their roles as community caregivers who lovingly care for and nourish their families’, friends’, and neighbors’ children in their homes. They are, in fact, gardeners cultivating our future Latine assets.