Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Concludes Statewide Child Care Listening Sessions

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration concluded a series of 14 in-person and virtual listening sessions across Massachusetts this week that will inform the Early Education and Child Care Task Force’s recommendations and broader strategy to ensure accessible and affordable high-quality child care for all families. Nearly 1,000 community members engaged in the listening sessions, and the Task Force received direct feedback from hundreds of parents, child care providers, and community stakeholders who joined Secretary of Education Tutwiler, Secretary of Economic Development Hao, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Jones, Early Education and Care Commissioner Kershaw and other task force members. The feedback will be reviewed and included in the Task Force’s final report to be released later this year. 

"Early education and child care is a top priority for our administration. I want to thank the providers, families, and community members who attended these sessions or submitted written feedback,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We made meaningful progress in the last year and a half, including continuing C3 grants and making them permanent, increasing provider rates, and expanding universal access to pre-k in gateway cities and rural communities – but we know there is much more work to be done. This input will be vital as we work towards creating a more equitable and affordable child care system.” 

“These statewide listening sessions provided parents, caregivers, educators and child care providers a platform to share their experiences and ideas from Pittsfield to Bourne,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The feedback gathered will play a crucial role in shaping future policies and initiatives aimed at enhancing affordable and accessible early education and child care for all Massachusetts families, making our state the best place to live, work, raise a family and go to school.”  

The listening sessions are part of the administration’s Early Education and Child Care Task Force established under Governor Healey's Executive Order 625 and a central component of their ‘Gateway to Pre-K’ agenda. The Early Education and Child Care Task Force is chaired by the Secretaries of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Economic Development, and includes all other secretariats or their designees.  

“I was consistently inspired and energized by the powerful response we received from the early education and care community these last three weeks. Thank you to every person who came and shared their challenges and successes with us,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.“Education doesn’t start at kindergarten – it starts at birth. These sessions are a critical part of our work to ensure our youngest learners receive the highest quality education they deserve, setting them up for school and lifetime success.” 

“This series demonstrated the ‘whole-of-government’ approach, bringing together state agencies to not only listen to community stakeholders but also learn of creative ideas, feedback, and solutions that will strengthen Massachusetts’ early childhood education system,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “Child care is critical infrastructure that is needed to attract and retain talent across industries and statewide, and also critical infrastructure to build the talent pipeline of early childhood educators ready to prepare our youngest learners.” 

“Affordable, high-quality child care is a cornerstone of our state’s economic vitality and the strength of our communities,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “The feedback from the Statewide Child Care Listening Sessions is invaluable as we work to build a more inclusive and accessible child care system that supports working families and fosters the development of our youngest residents. The insights gained will guide our efforts to create solutions that not only meet the immediate needs of families but also set the foundation for long-term economic stability and prosperity.” 

Key themes that emerged from the sessions include the need for more child care accessibility – particularly in underserved areas – affordability, quality of care and workforce supports, including better compensation, benefits and professional development opportunities to attract and retain qualified employees. Photos and videos from the listening sessions are available online. 

"We need a strong child care sector in order for people to go to work, go back to work, or participate in education and training, advancing their economic mobility goals,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “I want to thank all of the partners who came out and shared their thoughts on the many strengths of our current system, the challenges and areas for improvement, and their aspirations for how we can transform our system to respond most effectively to the needs of all children and families across the Commonwealth.”  

Many participants celebrated the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program, which contributed to a 7 percent increase in child care programs last year, adding more than 10,600 child care seats across the state. Governor Healey’s signing of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget last week made this program permanent, subject to appropriation. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation to continue funding this vital program at the same level that the federal government did previously.  

“Access to high-quality, affordable early education and childcare is essential for the healthy development of young children, as well as for the economic well-being of working families and employers in the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Early Education and Child Care Task force for putting together these listening sessions across the state to ensure that their recommendations for future action reflect the needs of our families and childcare providers.   

“Equity and opportunity in the Commonwealth can only exist when every child and family has access to affordable and high-quality childcare and early education,” said Cape and Islands Senator Julian Cyr. "Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket have long lagged behind the rest of the Commonwealth in our ability to obtain essential services such as childcare and early education. I am pleased and proud of the work that the Healey-Driscoll Administration is undertaking to address the needs of parents, guardians, and children for quality care and educational opportunities. I am grateful to Secretary Tutwiler, Commissioner Kershaw, and all the members of the Task Force for their robust engagement in our communities and across the Commonwealth. I look forward to the coming work of the Task Force and future action based on its work and findings.” 

“Providing accessible and affordable high-quality child care for all families is a top priority for my administration and the Commonwealth,” said Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson. “We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their commitment to collaborative, open dialogue with families that help build a foundation where all children receive the care and education they deserve.” 

The Task Force is still eager to hear from working parents, caregivers, education and business leaders, early education and child care providers, and all others in the community. For more information about the Massachusetts Child Care Task Force and how to provide written feedback, please visit Mass.gov/ChildCareTaskForce. 

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