A Message to Our Partners and Providers
After more than 16 years of serving Tennessee’s child care community, Childcare Tennessee ceased operations on June 30, 2026.
What started as a small group of providers looking to expand enrollment grew into a statewide effort to give child care programs the practical support they needed to thrive. Over time, Childcare Tennessee developed a wide range of services, including:
- ChildcareNashville.com, helping families find quality care across Middle Tennessee;
- ChildcareTennessee.com, a members-only resource hub with more than 2,500 tools, forms, policies, and guides;
- ChildcareMatters Substitute Pool, keeping classrooms staffed when it mattered most;
- Chef’s Academy, strengthening nutrition programming in early childhood settings;
- Financial back-office support, so directors could spend less time on paperwork and more time on their programs;
- A robust Grant Program that, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Human Services, put more than $112 million into the hands of licensed providers across the state.
This work was built by people who believed in it. Team members spent years creating services, solving problems alongside providers, and showing up when programs needed support most. Their expertise and commitment helped elevate the quality of care available to children across Tennessee.
Advocates, policy leaders, and community partners helped keep attention on the importance of accessible, affordable, high-quality child care for Tennessee families, and that work continues. The need for strong, well-supported programs remains as urgent as ever.
Quality was always the priority. Every service and partnership was designed to help providers strengthen their programs and create environments where children can learn, grow, and thrive. The early years of a child’s life lay the foundation for everything that follows, and the providers who nurture that development every day deserve far more recognition than they typically receive.
To every provider who was part of this over the years: thank you. It was a privilege to be in your corner.
