Massachusetts helps families pay for childcare through a program called Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA). If you qualify, the state pays most or all of the cost of your child's daycare, and you may pay a small fee based on your income. Some families pay nothing.

How It Works

1. You apply through your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R) or by calling Mass 211. 1a. Waitlist: Currently, there is a wait list for all new applications that are not referred from DTA or DCF. See The Waitlist (0.4).
2. If you qualify, you receive either a voucher or a contract slot that pays for your child's care at an approved childcare program.
3. You choose your child's provider — no one assigns you to a program.
4. Every 12 months, you renew your eligibility by showing you still qualify.

The program is run by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), but you'll mostly interact with your local CCR&R. They're the ones who process your application, answer your questions, and handle your renewals.

Who Can Get Help?

You may qualify if:

• Your family's income is within the program's limits (based on family size)
• You have a reason you need childcare — like working, going to school, or being in a training program
• You live in Massachusetts
• Your child is under 13 (or under 16 if they have a disability)

There are also special pathways for families receiving TAFDC or SNAP benefits, families involved with DCF, young parents under 24, families experiencing homelessness, and families in domestic violence situations.

See Am I Eligible? (1.1) for the full breakdown.

What Does It Cover?

The program covers care at:

• Licensed daycare centers (group programs, school-age programs)
• Licensed family child care homes (smaller, home-based programs)
• Informal care providers — in some cases, a relative or in-home caregiver can be approved

The subsidy program pays the provider directly. You may have a parent fee (a copay based on your income), which you are responsible for paying to the provider. Some families — like those on TAFDC, with an active DCF case, or experiencing homelessness — have no parent fee at all.

Information specific to your family's situation is best obtained from case workers at your CCR&R agency.

What It Does NOT Do

This program helps you pay for childcare. It does not:

• Guarantee a spot at a specific program — you choose, but the program needs to have an opening
• Cover care outside Massachusetts (with limited exceptions)
• Make you eligible for other benefits or disqualify you from them — childcare assistance does not count as income for other programs like TAFDC

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Next Steps

• Want to see if you qualify? See Am I Eligible? (1.1)
• Ready to apply? See How to Apply (1.5)
• Not sure who to contact? See Who Does What? (0.2)
• Call Mass 211 for general information and referrals