Child Care - Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Definitions - Massachusetts

Term

Meaning

Caretaker

A person who lives with, supervises and cares for a child or children whose parents do not live in the home.

CCR&R

A Child Care Resource and Referral Agency.

Child

A person younger than 13 years, or 16 years if such person has special needs.

Child Care Provider

A licensed or exempt center-based child care program, or a licensed, family-based child care program located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Child Care Resource and Referral Agency or CCR&R

An agency that contracts with EEC, or subcontracts with an agency that contracts with EEC, to provide child care resource information, referral services, and/or child care voucher management services. See the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCR&R) - Massachusetts topic for additional information.

Child Care Subsidy

Financial assistance given to eligible parents for child care provided by a contracted or voucher child care provider.

Contracted Child Care Provider

A licensed child care program or family child care system that holds a contract with the Department of Early Education and Care for the provision of subsidized child care services.

Days

Calendar days, unless otherwise specified.

Dependent Child

A person under the age of 18, or a person under the age of 24 if he or she is a full time student.

Dependent Grandparent

A grandparent of the child receiving care who resides in the household with the child and is financially dependent on the child’s parent(s).

Designated Authority

A person or organization authorized by the Department of Early Education and Care to determine eligibility for subsidized child care services.

DSS

Department of Social Services.

DTA

Department of Transitional Assistance.

Eligible Family

A family that qualifies for a child care subsidy based on criteria determined by EEC in regulation and policy.

ESL

An English language training program for people whose primary language is not English.

Excessive Absence

More than three consecutive unexplained absences or 11 or more explained absences within a 30 day period.

Explained Absence

Absence due to illness, emergency, or a maximum of 10 days of vacation per year.

Family

One of the following: (1) parent(s) and their dependent child(ren) and any dependent grandparent(s) who reside in the same household; or (2) a teen parent and his/her child(ren) who reside in the same household. See the Child Care - Family Definition - Massachusetts topic for additional information.

Full Time Care

Care for not less than 30 nor more than 50 hours per week during the hours when the parent(s)’ service need activity occurs, unless otherwise approved by EEC.

Full time Service Need

Service need of 30 hours or more per week.

In Home or Relative Child Care Provider

A caregiver who meets the In Home or Relative standards and requirements established by EEC, and is exempt from EEC licensure because the caregiver either (1) provides care in the child’s own home, or (2) is a relative of the child.

OCCS

The former Office of Child Care Services. See the Child Care - Office of Child Care Services (OCCS) - Massachusetts topic for additional information. This previous Office is now part of the Department of Early Education and Care.

Parent

A biological or adoptive parent or step-parent who resides in the household with his/her dependent child(ren), or a caretaker.

Part Time Child Care

Care up to 30 hours per week.

Part Time Service Need

Service need between 20 and up to 30 hours per week.

Relative

Sibling, aunt, uncle, or grandparent, whether by birth, marriage or adoption.

Service Need

The amount of time when no parent is available to care for his/her child due to the parent’s employment, education or training, or incapacity. A particular child may also have a service need due to a documented disability or special need that requires child care, regardless of the parent(s)’ activities.

State Median Income

The dollar amount which represents the midpoint in a rank ordering of the incomes of all families of the same size in Massachusetts, as calculated by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. See the State Median Income topic for additional information.

Supportive Child Care

A program of comprehensive educational and developmentally appropriate activities augmented by health and nutritional services, case management, social services and transportation, provided by child care providers under contract with EEC to families determined eligible by DSS.

TAFDC

Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children. See the Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) - Overview - Massachusetts topic for additional information.

Vocational Training Program

A program other than graduate, medical or law school, which is intended to teach a specific skill leading to employment.

Voucher Child Care Provider

A caregiver who provides child care services pursuant to an EEC voucher provider agreement.