Martha M. - Educator

Please share your childcare story.

“Through my work in childcare over the years I have learned that in Massachusetts if you are low-income family there are only a few ways to guarantee access to affordable childcare.

If you meet the federal poverty guidelines, you may be eligible for Head Start. In Massachusetts this is nearly impossible for working parents. I have listened to such parents explain how they or their partner have had to take lower wage jobs just to do so. Another working parent, pregnant with her third child, would only be eligible until after the birth.

If you have a child with a disability, you may have access to the integrated preschool or other resources through your local school system. Even this is often not fulltime and can be difficult for a working parent to manage.

If you are involved with Department of Children and Families, you may be put on the top of the voucher list for childcare. In one situation, there was hope that DCF would become involved, although they did not really need to be, because this might give the family access to affordable childcare.

Families should not have to hope for an income below the poverty line, a child with a disability or for involvement with DCF to have access to affordable childcare. Affordable childcare should be accessible to all.”