Take the Minnesota Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregiver Parent and Guardian Survey

We are conducting a survey of parents and guardians in Minnesota who use family, friends, and neighbors (FFN) as regular child care providers to help the state understand how they can better connect with and support families and their caregivers. We will send you a $25 gift card as a thank you for completing the survey.

We have provided more details below about who FFN caregivers are, why this survey is important, and how it can benefit caregivers, children, and their families across the State. If you are a parent or guardian who uses FFN child care, take the survey below!

Survey

Please note: when clicking the link above, the survey will be available in English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong and Oromo.

Who are family, friend and neighbor caregivers?

Parents and guardians in Minnesota frequently turn to family, friends, neighbors (FFN), and other connections for support with childcare. Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers are home-based caregivers working outside of the formal child care system. FFN caregivers include grandparents, aunts, uncles, elders, older siblings, friends, neighbors, and others who provide regular child care so that parents and guardians can work or attend school. You may think of them as your babysitter. Generally, FFN caregivers care for mostly the same child or children, for about the same number of hours or days per week. Whether the care provided is paid or unpaid, these essential caregivers provide a much-needed form of childcare in Minnesota.
Why is this survey important?

Minnesota is in a child care crisis and families have limited access to care. The price of child care does not account for all of the costs, and families cannot afford it. This is causing hidden costs, and straining families, child care providers and the economy. With over 80,000 FFN caregivers across Minnesota, this group is stepping up in a big way to tackle this crisis. As a parent or guardian who uses FFN care, you are part of a group who uses the most common childcare arrangements across the state. FFN caregivers and the families they provide care for are essential!

The goal of this survey is to learn more about how you use FFN care and what works for you and your family: What does your FFN care arrangement look like? What motivates you to choose FFN care? What makes for a successful relationship with your FFN caregiver? What challenges do you experience? What supports, if any, might be helpful? Your input will help the state understand how to leverage strengths, make connections, and ensure caregivers have everything they need to do their best work in caring for your child or children.
What are the benefits of taking the survey?

We will send you a $25 gift card as a thank you for completing the survey. Once you finish, we will gather a name and contact information for sending the gift card. Your name will not be tied back to your survey and your answers will still be completely anonymous.

By taking this survey, you are contributing to a system of great care for children across Minnesota. With this information, the state can develop programs and resources that support all FFN caregivers in doing their best work and ensuring all children are safe, healthy and cared for.
Will my information be kept private and safe?

Yes! This survey is being administered by The Improve Group, an external, third-party research company, on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). All information you share is kept private and secure in a database. The Improve Group applies a rigorous set of data privacy and security standards. Your name and the contact information you provide for us will only be used to send you the gift card.
Still have questions?

Help us spread the word!

Are you connected with other parents and guardians who use FFN care as a child care arrangement? Please help us spread the word by sharing this survey with them. They will also receive $25 for completing the survey. Here is language you can quickly copy and paste:

Minnesota is conducting a survey to learn more about families in the state who use friends, family members or neighbors as regular child care providers. Everyone who completes the survey will get a $25 gift card. To learn more about this important work, click here.

We are also conducting a survey directly with FFN caregivers. Please help us spread the word by sharing the FFN caregiver survey with the person or people who provide FFN care for your family. You can learn more about this survey here. They will receive $25 for completing the survey. Here is language you can copy and paste:

Minnesota is conducting a survey to learn more about people in the state who provide regular child care to the children of friends, family members, and neighbors. Everyone who completes the survey will get a $25 gift card. To learn more about this important work, click here.

Want to be even more involved? We are hiring community members to help us get connected to and share the survey with other FFN caregivers across the state. If this sounds interesting to you, you can learn more and apply here!

Interested in the outcomes of the survey?

This survey is being conducted between January – May 2023. After the survey is complete, we will analyze the data and develop a report for the Minnesota legislature that provides recommendations and outcomes to better support the statewide network of FFN caregivers.

If you’d like to review the report, we’ll post it right here when its ready! Check back around fall/winter of 2023 for the final report.