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Overview | Child Care Resources | Resources for Parents & Families | Resources for Providers | Site Survey | Family Day Care | Child Enrichment Center | Information and Referral

Resources for Providers

Links to the Department of Early Education and Care:
The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) provides the foundation that supports all children in their development as lifelong learners and contributing members of the community, and supports families in their essential work as parents and caregivers. The website offers information and resources on child care providers, options for financial assistance, grants for individuals and organizations, professional development, special education, family support, in addition to regulations and policies.
EEC Offices

  • 51 Sleeper Street, 4th Floor
    Boston, MA 02210
    P: 617.988.6600
    F: 617.988.2451
    TTY: 617.988.2454
  • 95 Liberty Street, Suite 1124
    Springfield, MA 01103
    P: 413.788.8401
    F: 413.784.1227
  • Central Massachusetts

    • 10 Austin Street
    Worcester, MA 01609
    P: 508.798.5180
    F:508.798.5181

Helpful links on the EEC Website:

Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS): The Commonwealth’s new Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a key tool, among many, that Massachusetts is developing to help families, communities, and policymakers understand what constitutes quality in early childhood programs. Building on a strong foundation of licensing, the QRIS is designed to support all children and youth (birth to 13) served in early childhood settings across the Commonwealths’ mixed delivery System.
EEC Professional Qualifications Registry: Educators working in programs serving children from birth through school age, regardless of setting, must create an individual educator profile in the PQ Registry. EEC encourages all educators to take advantage of the PQ Registry, including those who work in public preschools and other programs that are not subject to EEC licensure.
Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCRR): The agencies provide a number of different services to parents and providers. Referrals are given to parents who are looking for quality child care in their area. Education is given to consumers regarding child care licensing guidelines, types of child care, and information about choosing child care. The CCR&R’s also provide subsidized child care to families of low to moderate incomes.

Resources for programs caring for children with special needs:
Nurturing Parents & Teachers is a consulting and education service created and run by Jill Vetstein LICSW. She provides workshops, training, consults, counseling, infant massage instruction, and parent/baby/child classes to parents, teachers, and caregivers of children ages birth to five years old.
Federation for Children with Special Needs: The Federation is a center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families. The Federation offers workshops and training, advocacy and resources to parents of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them.
Autism Resource Center of Central MA: The Mission of the Autism Resource Center is to support families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, to provide information to families regarding all aspects of family life impacted by autism, such as education, therapies, community inclusion, support groups in order to empower them to make informed choices, & to organize trainings.
Early Intervention Services:Early Intervention in Massachusetts is a statewide, integrated, developmental service available to families of children between birth and three years of age. Children may be eligible for EI if they have developmental difficulties due to identified disabilities, or if typical development is at risk due to certain birth or environmental circumstances. Search for EI Services by city/town
Special Needs Flexible Spending Budget Request Form
Contracted providers and voucher providers requesting flexible pool funding for children with special needs.
Special Needs Flexible Funding Request and Termination Form

The Center for Childcare Careers, a program of Family Services of Central Massachusetts, promotes four core services to support professional development and program quality:

  • Career Advising and Guidance on Career Pathways to develop a professional development plan
  • Developing Competencies through coursework and attainment of degrees and credentials
  • Coaching and Mentoring to apply learning into work with children and families
  • Achieving and maintaining program quality through accreditation and QRIS, the state system for quality improvement
Preschool Enrichment Team (P.E.T.): With funding from the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Public Health, and through various collaborations in the community, P.E.T. offers many training sessions at affordable costs. These trainings offer Department of Early Education and Care approved hours, CDA training hours, and often C.E.U.s (continuing education units).

 

Local CPR & First Aid Training

Burbank Health Alliance
Sharon Fontecchio RN BSN, Health Promotion Educator, The Schofield Group, LLC, (978) 597-0303 [email protected]
Red Cross of Central MA

Accreditation Resources:
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. Membership is open to all individuals who share a desire to serve and act on behalf of the needs and rights of all young children. NAEYC Early Childhood Accreditation to Support and Reach Higher Quality in Early Childhood Programs helps states develop and improve their QRIS and link such systems to NAEYC Accreditation of Programs for Young Children.
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) serves as a nationwide non-profit association dedicated to strengthening the profession of family child care and communities where providers live and work. NAFCC believes that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow, be prepared for school, better understand the world and each other, think, dream and discover, while reaching their highest potential. NAFCC sponsors the only nationally recognized accreditation system designed specifically for family child care providers. This system was designed by hundreds of providers, parents and early care experts in an effort to create a quality indicator for family child care programs throughout the country.
National Child Care Information Center: The National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC), a service of the Office of Child Care, is a national clearinghouse and technical assistance (TA) center that provides comprehensive child care information resources and TA services to Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators and other key stakeholders.
Zero to Three: ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.
Build the Out-of-School Time Network: BOSTnet envisions a future in which all families have access to a rich network of out-of-school time opportunities that challenge, reward, and inspire children and youth.

 

Nutrition and Health Related Resources:

 

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP): is a government program administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The CACFP reimburses participating day care operators according to rates set by the USDA, for healthy meals and snacks served in Child and Adult Day Care facilities. If you are interested in participating, please contact one of the CACFP sponsors listed below or visit the USDA website.

Yours for Children Food Program – (800) 222-2731

Provider Resources, Inc. – (781) 939-9292

Bay State CCFP – (508) 755-6644

Clarendon Family Daycare, Inc.