The child care system is Massachusetts is beginning to crumble. I learned this morning that one of the largest day care centers in JP, and one of the few that accept infants (under 15 months), announced yesterday that they will not reopen when allowed by the state. 1/

It's not clear to me that the closure is due *completely* to the Covid shutdown - I'm told they faced high rents and facility maintenance issues before covid - but certainly the shut down helped exacerbate matters. 2/

Now I as the parent of an infant am very nervous about the prospects of my own day care center re-opening. Already we received an email from them about facing imminent closure if rumored re-opening guidelines from @MassEarlyEdCare go into effect. 3/

These include a ban on infant care, and, drastically reduced toddler group sizes per classroom, i.e. maintaining a number of fewer than 9 per classroom. 4/

Now, I am NOT a public health expert or epidemiologist and I am not willing to say these rumored regulations are wrong. If they are done in the best interest of public health and avoiding another Covid surge, who am I to say they are wrong? 5/

And, even if day cares are allowed to reopen on 6/29 as scheduled without new regs, I'm not so sure I am at a place where I feel comfortable sending my infant (I recognize the privilege I have to be able to make that decision - many parents don't have a choice) 6/

But my point with this whole thread is that the Baker Administration continues to do a disservice to parents across the Commonwealth with the limited communication about child care reopening plans. 7/

Instead of hearing from the Governor or his admin about what regs they're considering for day care reopening, what metrics they are using to make decisions, etc., we are learning from rumors passed along from our children's care providers 8/

and watching day cares either close forever or claim they are facing imminent closure. Working families continue to be left in the lurch by this administration while they prioritizing the needs of corporate exces and business owners in their reopening plans 9/end.