If your family has an active case with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), your child may be eligible for a childcare subsidy through a DCF referral. This pathway bypasses the income-eligible waitlist — DCF determines eligibility and issues the referral directly.

How DCF Referrals Work

1. DCF issues a referral for children with active DCF cases
2. Your CCR&R receives the referral and reaches out to you to begin the authorization process
3. Your CCR&R verifies your identity — no other documentation is required from you
4. You complete enrollment at a provider in accordance with the provider's policies

The DCF referral is sufficient documentation that your child is eligible for childcare. You do not need to separately prove income, service need, residency, or family relationships. Referrals are valid for 90 days from the date of issue.

Your CCR&R is required to reach out to you within 3 business days of receiving your DCF referral. If you have not heard from them in that window, call them directly.

Important: Your child should not be enrolled at a provider before the DCF-related authorization is issued.

Parent Fees

• No parent fee while your DCF case is active
• No parent fee during the initial 12-month transitional period after your DCF case closes

Eligibility Period

• Authorization is for 12 months from the first day of care
• DCF may renew the authorization for an additional 12-month period if needed
• Unless approved by the DCF social worker and supervisor, referrals may not be renewed more than once

Transitional Child Care (After Your DCF Case Closes)

When your DCF case closes, your child may still receive care:

• If DCF authorizes transitional care: A new 12-month authorization is issued. DCF is no longer involved with your family during this period — any issues go through your CCR&R, not DCF.
• If DCF does not authorize transitional care: Your child can continue care until the end of the current authorization. At that point, you may be assessed for continuity of care into the income-eligible program.
• Extended transitional period: After the first 12 months of transitional care, you may receive priority access for one additional 12-month period (up to 24 months from the date your DCF case closed).

A child is eligible for transitional care even if they haven't previously received DCF-related child care.

Note: Children placed outside Massachusetts through DCF are not eligible for transitional child care.

Information Sharing

With your authorization, DCF may share information with your child's provider about your child's behavior and your family's psychosocial history. This is to help the provider meet your child's needs. This requires your consent — it does not happen automatically.

Reauthorization

• DCF-related care renewals are handled between DCF and your CCR&R by email — you do not need to reauthorize in person or complete any documentation
• Transitional care reauthorizations follow the same process — if your child was previously authorized, no new documentation is needed
• If your child has a new parent (custody change), the new parent will need to provide proof of identification

Reporting Changes

• While your DCF case is active, DCF reports changes to your CCR&R (especially custody changes and contact info)
• During transitional care, you are responsible for reporting all changes
• Child care should not be interrupted while change notifications are being processed

Continuity of Care — Moving to Income-Eligible

When your DCF-related care ends, you can continue receiving childcare through the income-eligible program if you meet the requirements (income, service need, residency, documentation). Children placed outside Massachusetts are not eligible for continuity of care.

Note: The DCF to Income-Eligible transition can be complicated and confusing. Make sure you are in touch with your CCR&R throughout the process and that you understand what they need from you, and vice versa. If it's not clear - ask.

Appeal Rights

• If DCF denies or terminates your referral: You appeal through the DCF Fair Hearing Process, not through EEC
• DCF-related care will continue until the end of the authorization period, even if DCF determines services are no longer appropriate mid-authorization
• If your CCR&R takes action on your authorization: You may appeal through EEC's review process. See How to Appeal (1.20)

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Next Steps

• Have a DCF referral? Your CCR&R should reach out to you — if they haven't, contact them directly
• DCF case closing soon? Ask your DCF social worker about transitional child care before the case closes
• Transitional period ending? You may be able to continue through the income-eligible program — see Am I Eligible? (1.1)
• Questions about the DCF process? Contact your DCF social worker