Changes to Subsidized Child Care Regulations and Financial Assistance Policies

1. Changes to Subsidized Child Care Regulations and Financial Assistance Policies January 2013

2. EEC Subsidized Child Care Regulations On January 18, 2013, EEC will enact its revised subsidized child care regulations and issue a new Financial Assistance Policy Guide for Families, Caregivers and Service Providers. • Changes to the regulations and policies may impact some families’ eligibility. • Changes to attendance and reimbursement regulations and policies may also impact programs.

3. Technical Regulatory Changes

4. Technical Regulatory Changes (cont’d)

5. Substantive Regulatory Changes

6. Child Attendance All children who receive child care subsidies are expected to attend the early education and care program in accordance with the terms of the child care authorization. • Explained Absences are absences due to: • Child illness or medical condition; • Death in the family; • Emergency circumstances; • Religious holidays; and • Up to 10 days of vacation in a 12 month period. • Unexplained Absences are: • More than 3 consecutive unexplained absences; or • More than 30 absences within a 6 month period.

7. Child Attendance (cont’d) • The 6 month periods are based on the calendar year (i.e., January to June and July to December). • When a child is enrolled in a program, absences will be pro-rated of up to 5 days per month. • Excessive absence will result in a reassessment of the family’s need for child care. • Educators/Providers will not be paid for more than 30 child absence days in a 6- month period, or more than 3 consecutive unexplained absences without written approval from EEC. • Children shall not be scheduled for care on days that they are regularly scheduled to be absent.

8. Limitation of Home-Based Self-Employment as a Service Need Parents engaged in home-based self-employment must document that they are unable to work with their children in the home because the work they perform: • Presents a clear and present danger; OR • Work consists of face-to-face meetings with clients.

9. Implementation of Limitations on Home-Based Self-Employment

10. Disability/Special Need of Child

11. Implementation of Service Need Activity for Parents of Children with Disability or Special Need

12. Disability/Special Need of Parent • Families utilizing “Disability/Special Need of Parent” as a service need will now only be authorized for up to two years of child care. • Requests for an extension of the two year period will be limited to unusual, extenuating circumstances. Extensions beyond the two year period require written approval from EEC. “Disability/Special Need of Parent” cannot be combined with any other service need activity.

13. Implementation of Limited Subsidy Authorization for Parents with Disability/Special Need

14. EEC Financial Assistance Policies

15. Changes to Schedule of Care • Service need will no longer be tied to a parent’s schedule. The new policy will allow subsidy administrators to determine eligibility based on a parent’s documentation of service need and parent’s request for care. • 20 – 29 hours = part-time child care of up to 30 hours per week, regardless of parent/guardian’s activity schedule. • 30 or more hours = full-time child care of up to 50 hours per week, regardless of parent/guardian’s activity schedule.

16. Calculating Service Need for Vocational Training Programs, High School Equivalency Program, ESOL Program, or Non-Credited Educational Programs The service need for parents participating in education or training programs (other than college or high school) is 2.5 hours of service need for each hour spent in the education or training program per week. =Activityx 2.5

17. Calculating Minimum Wage and Service Need Minimum wage will be verified by dividing the gross income reported, after allowable deductions, by the minimum wage ($8.00 currently) to determine the number of hours for which the parent is eligible towards establishing a service need for a child care subsidy.

18. Job Search and Service Need Combinations • A parent seeking paid employment may not combine job search with any other approved activity to establish a service need. • A parent may not claim job search, if he/she has established a part-time service need of employment, education, or training.

19. Questions? • Check EEC’s Website: http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/laws-regulations-and-policies/financial-assistance-regulations-and-policies/ Still have a question? • Submit it to bulletinquestions@massmail.state.ma.us

20. EEC’s Financial Assistance Unit Tara O’Brien McNally, Financial Assistance Policy Analyst: Tara.OBrien@massmail.state.ma.us Kindreth Taylor, Financial Assistance Specialist: Kindreth.Taylor@massmail.state.ma.us Carmen Quiñones, Financial Assistance Specialist: Carmen.Quinones@massmail.state.ma.us