BOSTON — As Massachusetts leaders laid out their plan for reopening the economy, details on the future of childcare were missing from the conversation.
For now, they say working parents should tap into the emergency childcare system set up when the state shut down in March.
“Now during phase 1, the emergency childcare system we have already in place will be utilized to meet the needs of people with no alternative for care,” said Lt. Gov. Karen Polito. “We are also encouraging families to continue to find any alternatives to group care to help stem the spread of the virus.”
Polito says that emergency childcare was set up to care for 10,000 children of essential workers, statewide. As of Monday, it was at 35% of capacity.
“We do have a significant amount of capacity that’s currently available in childcare side in the short term,” said Gov.r Charlie Baker.
But the key there is “the short term.” Baker’s reopening advisory board has provided limited guidance on the future of childcare in Massachusetts, like how would limitations on group settings affect day cares or if they would have to socially distance young children.
They added the next step is to have the Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Public Health develop additional health and safety standards. “ …which are being reviewed by Children’s Hospital to make sure when we’re ready to fully reopen childcare,” Polito said. “We’ll have more to say on that as we prepare for the future phases.”
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