Identifying predictors of nontraditional-hour care in the Massachusetts child-care subsidy system 
Understanding the shortage of early morning and off-hour child care for low-income MA shift workers
Many low-income workers—including those in healthcare, retail, and hospitality—work outside the typical 9-to-5 workweek, yet affordable child care during these hours can be hard to find. While child-care subsidies help low-income families afford care, little is known about which kinds of subsidized providers offer nontraditional-hour (NTH) care.
This brief examines which factors predict whether a subsidized child-care provider in Massachusetts offers early morning care (4:00–7:00 a.m.)—the NTH period most in demand among low-income families. Using a combination of state survey data, administrative data, and census data, the authors find that providers in communities with more early morning commuters, larger child-care centers, and family child-care providers with more years of experience are more likely to offer early morning hours.
The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and should not be reported as representing the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the principals of the Board of Governors, or the Federal Reserve System.
Key Findings
- Few subsidized providers offer nontraditional-hour (NTH) care. Only 18% of subsidized centers and 34% of family child-care providers (FCCs) are open outside standard hours, mostly for early mornings (4:00–7:00 a.m.). Evening, overnight, and weekend care is extremely rare, available at less than 2% of providers.
- Larger child-care centers are more likely to offer early morning care. Centers licensed for 155 children have a 21% probability of offering early morning care, whereas centers licensed for just 10 children have an 11% probability.
- More experienced FCC providers are more likely to offer early morning care. FCCs in their first year of business have a 25% probability of offering early morning hours, compared to nearly a 44% probability for those in business for 30 years.
- Providers in communities with more early morning commuters have greater odds of offering NTH care. Subsidized child-care providers may be responding to the demand for early morning care within their local markets.