Press Release: 9/11/2026

Governor Healey Launches Pilot to Expand Access to Child Care

 

Pilot will allow participating 30 participating programs to serve up to 12 children, creating up to 60 additional child care seats while maintaining strong quality and safety standards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

9/10/2026

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey today announced that 30 Family Child Care (FCC) programs across Massachusetts have been selected to participate in a new pilot aimed at expanding access to child care for families. Through the Department of Early Education and Care’s (EEC) Family Child Care Capacity Pilot Program, participating providers will be able to serve up to 12 children, compared to the current limit of 10, while continuing to meet high standards for quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

The pilot has the potential to create up to 60 additional child care seats across participating programs. It will also help the state evaluate how expanding capacity at Family Child Care programs can create more options for families while supporting the educators and small business owners who provide care in their communities.

“Families across Massachusetts need more high-quality child care options, and we’re using every tool we have to create them,” said Governor Healey. “Family Child Care providers are trusted by families and deeply rooted in their communities. This pilot gives experienced providers the opportunity to safely serve more children while helping us learn what works and how we can continue expanding access for families across Massachusetts.”

 “Family Child Care providers know their families and communities, and they play an important role in helping parents get to work and children learn and grow,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We’re giving these small businesses an opportunity to serve more families while making sure quality and safety remain at the center of everything we do. This is another practical way we can work with providers to create more child care options in communities across Massachusetts.” 

The 30 participating Family Child Care programs were selected through an application process that considered licensing history, program experience, staffing capacity, physical space, and readiness to meet the pilot’s additional requirements. The selected programs represent communities across Massachusetts and will allow EEC to evaluate how expanded capacity works across different program settings and regions.

During the pilot, EEC will gather feedback from educators and families, monitor licensing and safety outcomes and collect information about program operations. The results will help inform future decisions about Family Child Care capacity, staffing, group sizes and licensing requirements.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to benefit from high-quality early education, and every family should be able to find care that works for them,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “Family child care providers are trusted partners in communities across Massachusetts and essential to making that possible. This pilot will help us expand access for more families while continuing to deliver the safe, high-quality experiences that help children build a foundation for future learning.”

“Family Child Care programs are a critical part of our early education and care system, and key economic drivers within their communities — helping families work and children thrive,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “We look forward to learning with the providers in the pilot about how this approach can both expand access for families and better support economic success for these small businesses.”

“The legislature is committed to exploring every avenue to expand access to high-quality and affordable early education and childcare in Massachusetts, said Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “I was proud to vote to allow this expansion of family childcare seats, and I hope that after a successful pilot program, this update will go statewide to increase capacity and lower the cost of care for young families.”

Under current EEC regulations, FCC providers are licensed to care for up to 10 children. Participating providers must continue to meet EEC licensing requirements and comply with additional conditions established for the pilot. EEC licensing staff will monitor participating programs throughout the pilot, including through regular licensing visits and ongoing review of program operations.

View a list of the 30 participating Family Child Care programs. 

The Family Child Care Capacity Pilot Program builds on Governor Healey’s  work to make child care more accessible for families and strengthen the early education workforce. The Administration has launched Massachusetts’ first-ever capital grant program specifically for Family Child Care providers, helping educators make improvements to the homes and spaces where they care for children. It has also expanded workforce supports through the Early Childhood Educator Scholarship and launched the state’s first loan repayment program dedicated specifically to educators and staff working in early education and care programs.

Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have made expanding access to affordable, high-quality early education and care a priority, with a focus on creating more child care options for families, supporting educators and strengthening the providers that families depend on in communities across Massachusetts.

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