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Early Education and Care Staff Pilot Program

EEC is currently operating a pilot program to provide immediate access to child care financial assistance (known as "vouchers" and "contracted slots") to income eligible staff working in licensed and funded early education and care programs, supporting access to affordable child care and the economic mobility of families.
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Overview

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) launched a pilot in January 2023 through the existing child care financial assistance program system to provide immediate access to vouchers and contracted slots to income eligible staff working in programs licensed or funded by EEC.

Any staff who qualify for a voucher and work at an early education or school aged program will be able to receive priority status on the child care financial assistance wait list. 

Additional Resources

Open PDF file, 147.55 KB,  Child Care Financial Assistance for ECE Staff Pilot (ENGLISH) (English, PDF 147.55 KB)

Eligibility

To be eligible for the pilot, you must be:

  • Currently or newly employed at a licensed or funded early education or school aged program in Massachusetts (i.e. directly receiving a wage or salary from the program),

    • Including but not limited to educators, family child care providers, assistants, support staff, administrators, kitchen staff, transportation staff, cleaning and maintenance staff.   

  • Live in Massachusetts, AND 

  • Have an income at or below 85% of the state median income (SMI):

Household Size  

 

Maximum Monthly Income

(before taxes)

2

 

$7,008

3

 

$8,657

4

 

$10,306

5

 

$11,955

6

 

$13,603

7

 

$13,913

 

You will need to provide proof of your employment and program’s P-number.

How to apply

How to apply if you are already on the child care financial assistance waitlist:

1. Call Mass211

2. Let the call taker know that you work for an early education program by using the priority code: Early Education Staff

3. Share the P-number for the provider you work for. You can access your P-number through EEC's child care search

 

How to apply if you are not on the child care financial assistance waitlist:

1. Call Mass211 to complete the waitlist application

2. Let the call taker know that you work for an early education program by using the priority code: Early Education Staff

3. Share the P-number for the provider you work for. You can access your P-number through EEC's child care search

FAQs

Find out more information about the pilot from the answers to these frequently asked questions (FAQs):

1. Can I get child care for part-time or full-time care?

Yes. Child care services may be authorized for full-time or part-time care, depending on the family’s circumstances.

2. I am an FCC provider. Am I eligible to participate for the foster children in my FCC home?

Family Child Care (FCC) Providers/Assistants are eligible and will be able to access financial assistance for their own children or foster children to receive subsidized education and care services in their Family Child Care home or the home in which they are employed. 

3. Do I have to use the voucher at a specific program?

Vouchers may be used for child care at any program that accepts them. Vouchers will be issued to the maximum amount allotted for the pilot.

4. My staff member is participating in the pilot. Can our program cover their parent fee?

Programs wishing to pay for their staff person’s parent fee may do so only with their own funding source. Use of state or federal funding to cover parent fees is not allowed.

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