Press Release: 5/8/2026
Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches New Family Portal to Help Parents, Caregivers Pay for Child Care
MyChildCareMA portal creates a more user-friendly, streamlined and family-centered child care financial assistance system experience
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
5/07/2026
MEDIA CONTACT
Kim N. Le, Director of Communications
Phone
Call Kim N. Le, Director of Communications at 617-823-4874
Online
Email Kim N. Le, Director of Communications at Kim.Le@mass.gov
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the launch of MyChildCareMA, a modern, mobile-friendly and multilingual family portal for the state’s Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) programs. Families can now apply for child care financial assistance, track application progress, and manage their cases through a single, streamlined platform.
MyChildCareMA was supported through Governor Maura Healey’s FutureTech Actand Capital Investment Plan (CIP). This improved user experience will make it easier for families to apply for help paying for care, ease administrative burdens on child care providers and improve program integrity and transparency.
“Massachusetts consistently ranks as one of the best places in the country to raise a family because we make real investments for families to be able to afford child care and other supportive services,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re proud of the work our administration is doing to make it easier for families to get the help they need, and MyChildCareMA is a big step forward. It makes it simpler, faster, and more transparent for families to apply for and manage child care financial assistance all in one place.”
“Families across Massachusetts deserve systems that are responsive and reliable,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The new portal brings everything into one place, making it easier for parents and caregivers to apply for assistance, stay informed, and manage their child care needs with greater confidence and convenience.”
The system is part of the MyMassGov state services platform. Families can log in using the same credentials they use for other MyMassGov services with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), or they can create a new account to get started.
The underlying technical systems supporting the CCFA programs are out of date, and families and child care providers must navigate multiple systems to accomplish just one task. MyChildCareMA will eventually serve as both a family portal and case management system, delivering a more accessible, dignified, and user-friendly digital experience. The unified case management system will include managing the child care financial assistance waitlist, application and eligibility determination, and payments. EEC will also be better prepared to work with other agencies on Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment so there is no wrong door for Massachusetts residents accessing government services.
“Families want to be able to access government services at the time and places that work for them, in their common language and on a mobile device. The new MyChildCareMA family portal is part of our efforts to transform the child care financial assistance system into what families and providers want and deserve,” said Secretary of Education Steve Zrike. “This is Team Massachusetts at its best. I want to thank Governor Healey for prioritizing IT modernizations that help families access and pay for care and all of the teams across state government who helped make this exciting portal possible.”
“The ChildCareMA launchreflects exactly the kind of IT capital investment we should be making to deliver digital government services that are simple, secure, and accessible to every resident,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “By investing in solutions like this, we are not only modernizing state IT, but also building a more responsive government that meets people where they are.”
“This launch represents a major step forward in how we serve families across Massachusetts,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “MyChildCareMA reflects a family-centered approach that prioritizes a more dignified, accessible user experience, while also advancing our work to modernize technology systems to better support families and those who serve them.”
The MyChildCareMA family portal is one of four foundational components of the Department of Early Education and Care’s (EEC) information technology (IT) modernization efforts outlined in the agency’s 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan. This initiative advances the agency’s Family Access strategic objective, which focuses on simplifying and enhancing how families connect with early education and care resources.
Modernizing IT through MyChildCareMA is also one part of a broader set of CCFA reforms to improve access and better support families and providers. The administration has streamlined regulations to simplify applications and reduce paperwork, and raised income eligibility from 50 percent to 85 percent of state median income, and, for the first time in 15 years, re-procured provider contracts to strengthen standards and improve service delivery. These efforts are complemented by these investments in new, user-friendly technology and a $167.5 million increase in provider reimbursement rates since Fiscal Year 2023, as well as federal approval to move toward a cost-based methodology for setting rates.
"Accessing financial assistance for childcare should be simple," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “When we make it easier for families to get the support they've already earned, we make Massachusetts stronger. I applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for creating this family portal, which is an important step forward for working families across the Commonwealth."
“Families deserve a simple, straightforward way to apply for and track their child care financial assistance from the state,” said Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “The new MyChildCareMA portal will provide just that to improve access and transparency and to just make life a little easier.”
EEC will continue to provide resources and support to families and partners as they begin using the new system. For more information and guidance, please visit the EEC website at Mass.gov/EEC.
Statements of support:
Amy O’Leary, Executive Director of Strategies for Children
“We commend the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care team on the launch of MyChildCareMA. This marks another important step toward a more equitable and accessible child care system—one that recognizes both the needs of families and the critical role of the organizations that support them. By giving families a clear, accessible way to apply for assistance, submit documents, and track their progress, and by equipping Family Access Administrators and community-based partners with better tools to assist, communicate, and manage cases, this portal helps reduce barriers at every stage of the process. Together, families and the agencies supporting them are better positioned to connect children to the opportunities they need to play, learn and thrive.”
Michelle Haimowitz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association
"For over 60 years, Head Start programs have provided a whole-child, whole-family approach that centers family voices and supports their comprehensive needs. MyChildCareMA will make it easier for families to get the care and services they need to thrive. Investments like this provide children a strong foundation of early learning, help working adults, support businesses, and make our communities healthier."
Jenn Aldworth, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
“The Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs sees the launch of MyChildCareMA as a game changer for families across Massachusetts. Navigating financial assistance can often feel overwhelming, and this portal helps simplify that journey—allowing families to apply, stay informed, and take action with confidence. It’s a meaningful step toward a more accessible, equitable system that better supports children and families across the Commonwealth.”
Kate-Marie Roycroft, Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs
“The launch of MyChildCareMA is an exciting step toward making child care financial assistance more accessible and easier for families to navigate across Massachusetts. By streamlining applications, communication, and case management, this new portal helps families connect more efficiently to the support they need while strengthening collaboration among providers and community partners statewide and the Alliance of MA YMCAs is happy to support this work.”
Alyssa Noel, Director of Kids Unlimited Services, Inc.
“As an FCC system, this new digital platform will change how we support families—from assisting with applications and ongoing eligibility to helping them navigate a more self-directed online experience. MyChildCareMA will enhance how we support families by improving communication and reducing barriers. With more efficient systems in place, we can spend less time navigating paperwork and more time helping families understand their options, maintain eligibility, and access the services they need.”
Amy Norton, Program Director of Mass211
“Mass211 is proud to partner with the Department of Early Education and Care and is excited to support this new process. We will continue to guide families in accessing child care financial assistance through MyChildCareMA, ensuring the process is clear and easy to navigate. The Mass211 team looks forward to continuing as a trusted partner in this important work.”