Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) (2nd edition)

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Teri N. Talan and Paula Jorde Bloom | June 1, 2018

Family child care providers who utilize effective business and professional practices are more likely to provide a high-quality learning environment and interact more sensitively with children.


The Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) is the first valid and reliable instrument for measuring and improving the overall quality of business and professional practices in family child care settings in 10 areas: Qualifications and Professional Development, Income and Benefits, Work Environment, Fiscal Management, Recordkeeping, Risk Management, Provider-Family Communication, Family Support and Engagement, Marketing and Community Relations, and Provider as Employer.


Providers who use the BAS can easily set goals to incrementally improve business practices that will result in improved recordkeeping, marketing, and communication with families, as well as financial stability and reduced risk of operating a home business.


The BAS is designed to complement the widely used Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale–Revised (FCCERS-R). When used together, they provide a comprehensive picture of the quality of the family child care learning environment and the business practices that support the program.

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