The primary purpose of the study was to provide a picture of child care usage among Massachusetts low-income families, and of the extent to which the current system of child care for low-income families (including subsidized care, public schools and Head Starts) meet the child care and employment needs of these families. The study included surveys with 508 Massachusetts families using centers, Head Start programs, family child care homes, or public school prekindergarten, and with 157 families on the child care subsidy waitlist. The study also included interviews with 57 of these families. The surveys and interviews were conducted between 2007-2009. This research was supported in part by a grant from the Administration for Children and Families, to Nancy L. Marshall, PI, Award No. 90YE097.

Read an overview of the study results.