Nurtury's Family Child Care (FCC) Incubator

Nurtury Early Education launched the Commonwealth’s first Family Child Care (FCC) Incubator in February 2025, providing start-up program space, resources, and training for newly-licensed family child care entrepreneurs to launch their small businesses and provide on-site care to families in the Roxbury/Mission Hill area of Boston.

The demand for child care is there, but many barriers make it difficult for aspiring FCC entrepreneurs to secure residential space that meet licensing requirements in order to enter the field. Nurtury’s FCC Incubator is designed to assist FCC educators with opening their own programs, thus expanding access to high-quality early education and child care options for more families.

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Child Care Offerings at Nurtury's FCC Incubator

Explore Our Family Child Care Programs

Canvas Learning Child Care

Led by FCC Educator Julia Santo, Canvas Learning Child Care’s educational philosophy is centered around the belief that every child is a unique and creative individual who deserves an environment that fosters growth, exploration, and learning. Julia’s program is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which emphasizes hands-on learning, child-centered education and child-led exploration. We encourage children to learn through play, creativity, and social interaction, nurturing their natural curiosity and self-expression.

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Liss Friendship Garden

Led by FCC Educator Lissette Medina, Liss Friendship Garden practices the philosophy of Reggio Emilia and the emerging curriculum. Lissette firmly believes that children should learn at their own pace, being leaders of their own learning. This approach allows each child to explore, discover and develop in a unique way, fostering social, emotional and cognitive skills.

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Our Little Steps Childcare

Led by FCC Educator Suany Ramos Rodas, Our Little Steps Childcare adopts a pedagogy that considers both the cognitive, emotional and social needs of children in their first stage of life. Each child is unique, and Suany’s program is designed to fit each child’s individual needs. She strives to provide personalized care that helps each child grow at their own pace, in a safe and stimulating environment. Through playful activities, children learn to solve problems, collaborate, express their emotions and explore the world around them.

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Child Care Offerings at Nurtury's FCC Incubator

Explore Our Family Child Care Programs

Canvas Learning Child Care

Led by FCC Educator Julia Santo, Canvas Learning Child Care’s educational philosophy is centered around the belief that every child is a unique and creative individual who deserves an environment that fosters growth, exploration, and learning. Julia’s program is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which emphasizes hands-on learning, child-centered education and child-led exploration. We encourage children to learn through play, creativity, and social interaction, nurturing their natural curiosity and self-expression.

Learn More

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Liss Friendship Garden

Led by FCC Educator Lissette Medina, Liss Friendship Garden practices the philosophy of Reggio Emilia and the emerging curriculum. Lissette firmly believes that children should learn at their own pace, being leaders of their own learning. This approach allows each child to explore, discover and develop in a unique way, fostering social, emotional and cognitive skills.

Learn More

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Our Little Steps Childcare

Led by FCC Educator Suany Ramos Rodas, Our Little Steps Childcare adopts a pedagogy that considers both the cognitive, emotional and social needs of children in their first stage of life. Each child is unique, and Suany’s program is designed to fit each child’s individual needs. She strives to provide personalized care that helps each child grow at their own pace, in a safe and stimulating environment. Through playful activities, children learn to solve problems, collaborate, express their emotions and explore the world around them.

Learn More

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Enroll Your Child at Nurtury's FCC Incubator

Nurtury’s FCC Incubator is the home to three early learning child care programs, each operating independently and run by their own educator:

  • Canvas Learning Child Care (Julia Santo)
  • Liss Friendship Garden (Lissette Medina)
  • Our Little Steps Childcare (Suany Ramos Rodas)

If you are interested in enrolling your child in one of our child care programs at Nurtury’s FCC Incubator, you can fill out the enrollment inquiry form below.

Nurtury’s Enrollment Team will work with you through the enrollment process and determine your eligibility for financial assistance.

Inquire About Enrollment
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Want to Become an Incubator Resident?

If you are a licensed or aspiring Family Child Care Educator who would like to launch your own family child care small business through Nurtury’s FCC Incubator, please fill out the form below to inquire about becoming an Incubator Resident applicant:

Join the Waitlist
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Interested in Opening Your Own FCC Incubator?

We believe our Family Child Care (FCC) Incubator is a model that can be replicated by other family child care support organizations, and Nurtury wants to use our experience to help make that happen!

If your organization is interested in opening your own Family Child Care Incubator, we would be happy to support you by sharing materials, including a Case Study of Nurtury’s FCC Incubator and our FCC Incubator Replication Toolkit, which provides helpful resources and info to starting your own FCC Incubator.

View Case Study Request Replication Toolkit
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What does it mean for you to open your own small business?

“It is a dream come true for me, a personal satisfaction, an opportunity for professional growth for my life, at the same time it will be a great challenge since it entails a great responsibility for everything to go well and also because I will demonstrate to myself the ability to learn. of what happens every day. I am very happy to know that with this new business I will be able to help parents balance their work and family life, while offering a safe and enriching environment for children.”

Suany Ramos Rodas

Incubator Resident, Educator/Owner of Our Little Steps Child Care

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What barrier(s) did not allow you to open your own FCC in your home?

“The main barriers that have prevented me from opening my own Family Child Care in my home have been the lack of financial resources to acquire a suitable home where I could offer the service. Additionally, I have faced the difficulty of finding a place where the owners would allow me to operate a child care business, which is essential to comply with local regulations and create a safe environment for children.”

Lissette Medina

Incubator Resident, Educator/Owner of Liss Friendship Garden

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What does it mean for you to open your own small business?

“Opening my own small business means the chance to turn my passion into something meaningful while helping my family. It gives me the opportunity to support them financially, provide stability, and create a better future for us all. It’s about taking control of my future, doing what I love, and making a positive impact for my family’s well-being and for others who may need employment or support.”

Julia Santo

Incubator Resident, Educator/Owner of Canvas Learning Child Care

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