Improved quality in home-based child care (family child care and family, friend, and neighbor care) is increasingly recognized as a vital component of early care and education service systems in the U.S. and abroad and is a target of recent federal and state policy initiatives in the U.S. This article presents data from a statewide survey of 73 child care resource and referral specialists across Illinois who work with family child care providers on a regular basis through home visiting, training, and technical assistance. Descriptive findings suggest that specialists who work with family child care providers perform a unique role in the early care and education field. The study examines job roles, common challenges and rewards, and needs for training. Specialists’ training needs include understanding the unique context of family child care, home visiting, coaching, and working with families. Understanding the training and professional development needs of support staff as well as the challenges faced in carrying out this work has the potential to inform state professional development systems as well as other initiatives aimed at improving quality in this sector of the early care and education workforce.

中文翻译：

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支持家庭儿童保育和质量改善：对伊利诺伊州儿童保育资源和转介机构工作人员的探索性调查结果

在家中的托儿服务（家庭托儿服务以及家人，朋友和邻居的托儿服务）质量的提高已被越来越多地视为美国和国外早教和教育服务系统的重要组成部分，并且是近期联邦和州政策的目标本文介绍了来自伊利诺伊州73名儿童保育资源和转诊专家的全州调查数据，这些专家定期通过家庭访问，培训和技术援助与家庭儿童保育提供者合作。描述性研究结果表明，与家庭托儿服务提供者一起工作的专家在幼儿保育和教育领域扮演着独特的角色。该研究考察了工作角色，常见的挑战和奖励以及培训需求。专家的培训需求包括了解家庭儿童保育的独特背景，上门拜访，指导和与家人一起工作。了解支持人员的培训和专业发展需求以及开展这项工作所面临的挑战，有可能为州专业发展系统以及旨在提高该部门早期护理和教育劳动力质量的其他举措提供信息。