ABSTRACT
Almost all of my interviews of family child-care workers took place in providers’ homes during their workday. As a result, I had the opportunity to not only speak with providers, but to observe their care work and the children for whom they cared. Both interviews and observations revealed that providers most often care for families who share providers’ own racial ethnic and cultural identity. Kim Phan, a Vietnamese refugee, spoke directly to the ways in which native language skills and cultural difference influenced her decision to provide care for other Vietnamese immigrant families.
