Hello Nanny! wins Bronze at WINGS 2026 for child care workforce reform

Hello Nanny! earned a Bronze Award at WINGS 2026 in Coronado, California, for its Career Pathway Launch, which aims to professionalize nanny work and expand legal, W-2 employment. The recognition also spotlights founder Stephanie Fornaro’s push for federal child care tax reform.

Why it matters: - Hello Nanny!'s work links caregiver pay, worker protections and child care affordability in one model. - The recognition puts national attention on an effort to make nannying a more formal career path. - The advocacy push could affect how families pay for child care and how caregivers are classified and compensated.

What happened: - Hello Nanny! won the Bronze Award at WINGS 2026, hosted by TOOTRiS, the nation's largest child care platform. - The award recognized Hello Nanny!'s Career Pathway Launch. - WINGS 2026 took place Sept. 14-16 in Coronado, California. - Hello Nanny! was one of six finalists selected from applicants nationwide. - More than 200 child care leaders from over 40 states and Washington, D.C., attended the event. - Participants voted to recognize innovative solutions already making an impact. - The WINGS Awards provided more than $10,000 in funding and support to advance the winning initiatives.

The details: - Hello Nanny! requires families to employ caregivers through legal W-2 payroll. - The model provides verifiable income and formal employment protections. - The Career Pathway Launch combines professional education, fair employment practices and federal policy advocacy. - The initiative creates opportunities for industry credentials and career advancement. - Hello Nanny! is a nationwide, WBENC-certified nanny and household placement agency headquartered in Frisco, Texas. - Founder and CEO Stephanie Fornaro said the mission is personal, citing her experience as a single mother who relied on child care to work and provide for her daughter. - Fornaro said, “When people say that childcare is a luxury, I have a visceral response to that.” - Fornaro also founded the Workforce Infrastructure Institute, an independent, nonpartisan research organization. - The institute advocates for federal tax reforms that would make child care more affordable and recognize caregivers as essential to the workforce. - Fornaro said, “The tax code classifies childcare as consumption, like a gym membership or a handbag. It's infrastructure.” - The Workforce Infrastructure Institute says its reports are free to read and cite at the institute's website. - Hello Nanny! says learn more at the company's website.

Between the lines: - The award signals growing interest in business models that treat child care as infrastructure rather than a private expense. - The Career Pathway Launch also reflects a broader push to professionalize domestic work through credentials and formal employment. - TOOTRiS CEO Alessandra Lezama said Stephanie Fornaro is creating opportunities for caregivers now while advocating for policy changes that could affect millions of families.

What's next: - Hello Nanny! is expected to continue expanding its career pathway program and policy advocacy. - The Workforce Infrastructure Institute will keep making the case for federal tax reform tied to child care, in-home care and eldercare. - The WINGS recognition and funding may help support the next phase of the winning initiatives.

The bottom line: - Hello Nanny! is trying to do two things at once: raise standards for caregivers and change the policy framework around child care affordability.