Massachusetts Child Care Grants, Programs and Services
Whether you are looking to start a child care program in Massachusetts or are a seasoned owner, there are many resources available to help fund your programs. Each state has a primary agency or organization responsible for subsidizing child care programs. They partner with local child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies and shared services organizations to raise awareness of grant opportunities and support the distribution of funding. They also provide additional programs and services to help you run your business.
Massachusetts Child Care Grants, Programs and Services
Primary State Agency (Child Care Development Fund)
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R Agency)
Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) are another great resource for assisting child care providers with available grants and funding and other resources. Find your local CCR&R Agency.
Shared Services Organizations and NAEYC Regional Affiliates
The community of ECE leaders working to provide services to support sustainable child care programs is growing all the time. Reach out to your local organizations to learn more about their services.
- Shared Services of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MAAEYC)
Champions of Mixed Delivery Monthly Call
The Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC) and National Child Care Association (NCCA) and are partnering to offer Champions of Mixed Delivery, a series of monthly check-in calls to share and receive updates about key proposals, coordinate messaging and talking points and share resources for advocacy. View dates and register for a call here.
Massachusetts Child Care Licensing Requirements
Learn more about Massachusetts early learning standards: Massachusetts Executive Office of Education
Learn more about child care licensing requirements in Massachusetts: Massachusetts EEC Learning Standards and Curriculum Guidelines
Massachusetts Early Childhood Education Quality Ratings, Curriculum and Assessments
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS)
Child care providers earn a rating when they meet quality standards. Many states require these quality standards in order to receive grants and additional funding. Learn more at Massachusetts’ StrongStart Quality Early Education and Care.
State-Aligned Curriculum
No state approval is required, although curriculum in Boston must be approved by the local school district. Procare Solutions is partnering with Learning Beyond Paper to provide curriculum to our customers. You can be confident knowing your curriculum aligns to your state standards by implementing Procare Early Learning Powered by Learning Beyond Paper. This 100% digital curriculum addresses the needs of child care centers, daycares, preschools and early learning teachers. The curriculum provides 52 weeks of lesson plans that include learning tailored to seasons.
Assessments
Simplify the assessment process and meet Massachusetts state standards with a unique early childhood assessment framework that makes clarity a key strength of your child care center’s assessments and communications.
Average Cost of Child Care in Massachusetts
Understanding the cost of child care in Massachusetts is important for both parents and child care providers.
Annual Child Care Costs in Massachusetts
Child care services in Massachusetts are prohibitively expensive to most families. Infant care costs approximately $24,472 a year.
Child Care Affordability in Massachusetts
There are no states with more expensive child care than Massachusetts. Only the District of Columbia has less affordable child care than the Bay State. The median family here would spend nearly 16% of their household income on child care for one infant. Many parents rely on before and after school programs to supplement their need for affordable child care.
More Information on Massachusetts Child Care
Families can use the Massachusetts government website to find a licensed family, group or school-age child care program through the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).
View child care costs in other states.
Professional Development Training Requirements in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, it is required that early childhood professionals complete 10 hours of professional development every calendar year. Training hours and continuing education units (CEUs) are documented in each person’s professional development record in the Massachusetts Professional Qualifications Registry (PQR)https://www.nsula.edu/pathways/. Be sure to create and manage your registry profile to track and document your training hours to comply with Massachusetts state licensing requirements for ECE professionals. Visit the National Database of Child Care Regulations website or Mass.gov to find licensing regulations and requirements in your state.
Bertelsen Education, a Procare Solutions Company provides IACET-accredited courses that meet state licensing requirements. Visit BertelsenEducation.com to purchase.
Professional Development Resources
Professional development programs are designed to encourage, support and recognize early childhood professionals seeking to expand their skills to raise the quality of their programs. View a list of professional development resources for child care providers here.