While the voucher model of providing child care benefits has been promoted widely over the past several years, few efforts have been made to document the costs of this system to children, families, and the providers of care, as well as to the public. To date, the information surrounding the intended and unintended impacts of current public child care policies on children and on the system of care has been fragmented and anecdotal. A well-documented, structured effort was needed if these dollars might possibly hope to become part of a funding strategy for Massachusetts' anticipated universal, high-quality system of early education that has been promised to children. This study documents the flow of over 3,295 vouchers for children and families entering the child care system in Massachusetts through these vouchers. In addition to “tracking” the vouchers, the study conducted surveys with 225 families, 88 research and referral (R&R) agency staff, and seven child care center directors. In-depth interviews were conducted with 48 mothers, five child care center directors, 19 family day care providers, and nine R&R staff. In addition to these strategies, the Foundation convened a “Providers Forum” in which 350 professionals joined in dialogue with the Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services (OCCS) and Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) staff, as well as with each other, to discuss the child care voucher system. Through this research, the study addressed the following questions:
- What is Massachusetts trying to accomplish with the child care voucher system?
- What are the intended and unintended impacts of this system?
- How can Massachusetts design a system that will achieve only the positive, intended outcomes?
Principal Funding for the Study Provided by the Barr Foundation.
Support for Publication and Dissemination Provided by The Boston Foundation.
While the voucher model of providing child care benefits has been promoted widely over the past several years, few efforts have been made to document the costs of this system to children, families, and the providers of care, as well as to the public. To date, the information surrounding the intended and unintended impacts of current public child care policies on children and on the system of care has been fragmented and anecdotal. A well-documented, structured effort was needed if these dollars might possibly hope to become part of a funding strategy for Massachusetts' anticipated universal, high-quality system of early education that has been promised to children. 
