San Diego is home to one of the nation’s largest Somali communities, and UDW proudly represents all immigrant care workers who dedicate their lives to nurturing our children.
For many Somali families, home-based child care is more than a service. It reflects long-standing cultural traditions of shared caregiving, community responsibility, and intergenerational support.
Now, rhetoric used by the Trump Administration to target hardworking Somali child care providers is resurfacing in California. In San Diego, Somali providers are facing threats that undermine their ability to work and care for children safely. These attacks are not just unfair; they are rooted in racism and misinformation.
Let’s be clear about who is being targeted:
- Licensed early childhood educators
- Small business owners
- Skilled child care workers who open their homes every day so working parents can show up to their jobs
- Community anchors who keep local economies running
Child Care is Professional, Regulated Work
Child care is not informal or casual labor. It is professional, regulated work governed by the California Department of Social Services Child Care Licensing Division. Family child care providers operate under strict state oversight offering structured, accountable early education delivered in a home setting, with clear standards designed to protect children and support families.
To become licensed, providers must:
- Pass fingerprinting and background clearance
- Complete state-approved Pediatric Health and Safety training, including CPR and first aid
- Maintain a safe home environment with required safety equipment
- Keep detailed health and immunization records
- Undergo inspections and ongoing compliance monitoring
Child care providers also make care accessible. Many accept subsidies like CalWORKs and other state-funded programs, ensuring that low-income families can afford safe, stable care.
They offer flexible hours for parents working early mornings, nights, and weekends. They keep siblings together. They provide culturally and linguistically affirming environments where children feel at home.
Take Action: Show Your Support
When care workers are attacked, working families feel it. When we defend them, we protect our communities. We are calling on care workers, union members, and neighbors to publicly stand with Somali child care providers in San Diego and across California.
Add your name to our pledge of support here.
By signing, you can:
- Publicly stand with child care providers
- Receive a sign to display in your yard or on your door
- Help raise awareness about the important role of home-based care
This is about dignity. It is about the value of immigrants’ work and their place in our communities. It is about protecting the care that makes every other job possible.