Audit of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor performance audit of the Department of Early Education and Care, covering July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.

“This report details the audit objectives, scope, methodology, findings, and recommendations for the audit period, July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.”

Auditors checked whether EEC was properly visiting licensed group care programs, making sure problems were fixed, investigating reported abuse or neglect, and ensuring required employee background checks were done.

“In this performance audit, we assessed whether EEC conducted all licensed group care program site visits in accordance with its policies and procedures, ensured that corrective actions for noncompliance identified during group care program inspections were implemented, investigated all reported instances of child abuse or neglect in the residential programs1 it licensed, and ensured that all required background record checks (BRCs) were performed for group care program employees.”

If reports are not tracked and investigated properly, the state may miss warning signs that children in licensed programs are unsafe.

“Without a record of receiving and/or investigating 51A reports, EEC cannot determine whether children are at risk or ensure that programs comply with the health and safety standards in Section 3 of Title 606 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR).”

This matters to families and taxpayers because EEC oversees programs that affect thousands of children every day.

“It supports an average of 55,000 children daily.”

The audit found repeated gaps in oversight: missed or untracked abuse reports, incomplete background checks, late licensing visits, and late investigations.

“EEC did not always complete its licensed group care program investigations by established due dates.”

The auditor recommended stronger controls, better coordination with DCF, completed background checks, timely licensing visits, and a formal investigation timeline.

“EEC should work with DCF to establish adequate internal controls over the 51A reporting and investigation process.”

The audit points to child-safety risks in state oversight of licensed residential programs, especially when checks and investigations are delayed or incomplete.

“When required BRCs are not completed in accordance with regulations, EEC cannot ensure that employees are appropriate to serve in their roles.”

A BRC is a background record check; in this report, it includes criminal history, sex offender registry, DCF, and fingerprint-based checks.

“A BRC shall consist of, at a minimum, a Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check; a DCF Background Record Check; a SORI check and a fingerprint-based check of state and national criminal history databases.”