For some readers, these essays will serve as an introduction to family, friend and neighbor care. Other readers may already be involved in working with this population of caregivers. Our hope is that this Occasional Paper will encourage greater recognition of the role that kith and kin caregivers play in the child care continuum and that it will stimulate further efforts to address this issue . At one time or another, more than half of the young children in the U. S. spend some time in child care provided by relatives, friends, or neighbors. If we are concerned about quality child care for all children, it is our responsibility as stakeholders in the field to promote understanding of kith and kin child care and to support all caregivers in their vital work.
©Bank Street College of Education (Authors: Rena Rice, Toni Porter, Shannon Kearns, Juliet Bromer, Sarah Ocampo-Schlesinger, Vicki McCarty, Pamela Jakwerth Drake, Bayla Greenspoon, Sarah Neville-Morgan, Kathy I. Reschke, Susan K. Walker, Mergitu Argo, Hueiling Chan and Christina Malecka)
