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Early Education & Care
Find Early Education & Care Programs

Find Early Education & Care Programs

Healthy development depends on the quality and reliability of a child’s relationships with the important people in his or her life, both within and outside the family. These relationships lay the foundation for a wide range of later outcomes that really matter – self-confidence and sound mental health, motivation to learn and achieve, the ability to control behavior and resolve conflicts, and knowing the difference between right and wrong.

That’s why one of the most critical decisions you make as a parent is choosing an environment that will help you nurture your child’s growth and development, and set the stage for future learning.

EEC recognizes the essential role parents and providers play in safety awareness. The database of Level 3 sex offenders is publicly available through the Sex Offender Registry. Additionally, information on Level 2 sex offenders may be accessed through the Sex Offender Registry Board or your local police department.

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Types of Early Education and Care Programs and Tips for Parents on Selecting a Quality Program
Search for a Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (CCR&R) near you

Your local CCR&R agency keeps information on all licensed and license-exempt programs including child care centers, family child care providers, preschools, and out of school time programs.
Search for Licensed Family, School Age or Center-based Child Care Programs

Search for an EEC licensed program. Some programs are EEC license exempt and will not appear. If a program you are searching for does not appear in your search results, call the EEC regional licensing office for your area to confirm whether the program is licensed to operate by EEC.
Search for a Family Child Care System

Family Child Care Systems are coordinated networks of family child care providers. Family Child Care Systems provide resources and supports to family child care providers such as training, technical assistance and consultation, monitoring, and referrals to health and social services for children in their care. FCC Systems may provide referrals to family child care providers. You may also search directly for FCC providers.
Search for a Licensed Adoption or Foster Care Agency

Adoption Agencies are licensed placement agencies responsible for placing children for adoption and offer adoption related services. Foster Care Agencies are licensed placement agencies responsible for recruitment and approval of foster parents/homes to care for children in need of alternative placement.
Search for a Licensed Residential Care Program

Residential care is a broad term which encompasses a variety of services, which may include a group home, a secure detention and treatment facility, a temporary shelter, a shelter home model, a transition to independent living program, transitional housing for teen parents, or care for children with special needs in a regular, 24 hour a day residential facility.
Search for a Head Start Program

The Head Start program is a nationally funded program that promotes school readiness through quality early educational experiences and services including health, mental health, nutrition, social services, and parent involvement.
Search for Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Programs (CFCE)

Your local Coordinated Family & Community Engagement program can help you find local quality licensed child care, information on child care financial assistance, family activities, support programs and additional resources in your area.
Search for Early Childhood Special Education or Public School Preschool Contacts

If you are looking for a public school preschool program or if you have questions relative to Early Childhood Special Education, this search will provide you with contacts in your local school district.
List of EEC Programs by Region

Provides a listing of EEC programs located in the following regions: Boston, Chelsea, Revere area, Essex County/North Shore, Greater Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts and Worcester County.