As a result, the commissioner told members of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care this week, the capacity for child care may decrease this fall, particularly in certain regions. Metro Boston expects to lose one-third of its childcare capacity and Western Massachusetts, 35 percent.
The figures rattled off some members of the council, including Education Secretary James Peyser, the top education adviser to Governor Charlie Baker. Several board members called for urgent leadership and coordination across agencies and within communities.
“There seems to be an assumption that community agencies and childcare facilities will be available,” said member Joan Wasser Gish at a council meeting on Tuesday. “My concern is that this assumption is not linked to realities on the ground and to the lack of much more complex coordination – not only at the state level but also at the local level – that things for families are at real risk of falling apart. ”
Board Chairman Nonie K. Lesaux added: ‘It is clear – it is so very clear – that the lens must now focus on children and families and reduce supervision and safety and a huge learning loss. … We as a state must now think – really hard – about eyes on children. “
Even since they relocated in late June, pediatricians have struggled – especially at centers where new restrictions limit class numbers and potential income. Although the federal government has approved modest relief for child care programs until March, Massachusetts caregivers have not yet received one. The funding was kept through the state budget process, and the department reserved it for centers that serve poor and vulnerable children.
And some centers have tried to open rooms for children in nursery school or at school age to meet families with children of different ages, whose school year may still be in jeopardy. But the department did not allow it. For example, an owner of two childcare facilities who treat infants through kindergartens said the families she serves still have 11 children in school at that age. If these primary schools only take them up two days a week, their parents will have to take care of them the other days as well. And if that is not working – and a parent has to stay home with all the children – that not only jeopardizes the income of the family, but that of seven teachers and administrators waiting to care for the youngest by day.
Board member Mary E. Walachy said the data inspired her to start reaching out to community leaders and educators in places like Springfield to prepare parents for the loss of options. Many families have middle-aged children – from infants to late primary school – and with the plans of schools still vague, they may soon have to scramble for care, aftercare, and even educational help to get back to work. coordinate.
“It will really require more than what this agency can do,” Gish added. “The need is great and it’s urgent.”
However, even when the board felt compelled to disclose data on child centers, the commissioner withheld other information about COVID cases appearing in those centers. The Globe reported on Tuesday that the department had refused to share data on cases of coronavirus at the child care emergency centers that remained open from March to June. The department revealed a total of 64 cases during that time, but would not break down where they occurred, which could show if infections spread within certain centers.
The Globe is appealing the department’s decision to the State Supervisor of Records, while looking for more recent data on COVID cases reported by child care centers. Several childcare providers said they have also requested recent data on coronavirus cases because they are trying to assess their risk of relapse, but they have been ignored by the state.
‘I want proof. I want to be data-driven, “said Britta Riser, director of the Sudbury Cooperative Preschool, which hopes to reopen Sept. 14. If the health and safety measures work, then my passion and my dedication to my families and my children. I will show up for work and care for her and love her. But I do not know if it works – and that’s negative for me. ”
She called it “unconscious” that the state would not release data that could be instructive for coronavirus management within child care centers and said many of her peers had requested it, individually or on behalf of groups.
Martha Christenson Lees, director of a childcare center in Northampton, said she had unsuccessfully requested the information twice via the website set up by the department to get feedback on resumes.
Early educator Daniel Gonzalez said he submitted data through a request for public records in June and has not received a response. On Tuesday, he launched an online petition that quickly attracted 500 signatures requesting the release of data on cases of coronavirus in child centers.
The petition notes that the information is required by the supplementary budget recently signed by Governor Charlie Baker.
“We know the data will be collected but not released,” the petition said. “This puts children, families, teachers and providers at risk.”
“They drove us to reopen,” Gonzalez said, noting that everyone would return to normal. “We just want the data so we know.”
But worries abound. One childcare provider who spoke about the condition of anonymity had to quit 14 days after several staff members tested positive for coronavirus, despite all the health precautions they instituted. No children tested positive, she noted.
‘I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not even letting the parents in, ‘she said. “I do not know what other precautionary measures I could have taken myself.”
Stephanie Ebbert can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @StephanieEbbert
