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Which children can get child care?

Alert

DTA made a number of changes and suspended a number of rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Guide notes in red when a rule was suspended during the pandemic.

Produced by Deborah Harris and Betsy Gwin, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Reviewed December 2022

You can get child care authorized by DTA for

  • a child under age 13, or
  • a child up to age 16 who has a disability and cannot take care of herself.

The child must be

Advocacy Reminders

  • DTA will not authorize child care for a child age 13 or older unless the child has a disability. Sometimes it is not safe to leave a teenager unsupervised after school or during school vacations. Contact your local legal services program, Appendix D: Massachusetts Legal Services Offices, if you need out of school time care for a teenager who is not disabled. You may have good cause for not meeting TAFDC work rules.
  • You may need help to get child care for a child age 13 or older who has a disability. Contact your local legal services program, Appendix D: Massachusetts Legal Services Offices.

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