Across Massachusetts, after closing because of the pandemic, early education and care providers have been reopening, navigating the challenges created by COVID-19.

“We still are ahead of many, many states in our reopening capacity,” Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, commissioner of the Department of Early Education and Care, said at a recent department board meeting, public radio station WBUR reports. “While that is really great, what we’re hearing back is many of those [providers] are at a level of vulnerability that could easily put us behind the country quickly as well.”

WBUR adds:

“Eighty-two percent of the state’s licensed providers reopened as of Nov. 23, according to the latest survey from the Department of Early Education and Care. But, many providers told the state that reopening has come with a slew of financial challenges. Many reported struggles to find qualified staffers, or families to fill available slots. Some were forced to contend with the costs of temporary closures because of suspected or confirmed exposure to the coronavirus.”

Source: Department of Early Education and Care

So far, “only 5% of the state’s 8,200 licensed providers” have closed permanently, but they are closing at an increasing rate.

And while the state has 199,000 child care slots, which “represents 87% of what was available before the pandemic,” not all the slots are being used “as parents either made other arrangements or stepped back from work. The most recent data showed children were enrolled in only 63% of available seats across the state. (Those figures vary greatly among different providers. For example, at Nurtury in Greater Boston enrollment is at 83% of pre-pandemic levels.)”

“ ‘That really does highlight the vulnerability of the field,’ Aigner-Treworgy said. ‘When we don’t see our utilization rates up enough, [it shows] that our opening providers are really struggling financially.’ ”

There is good news. The most recent state budget increases investments in early education and care by more than 20 percent. And if a federal stimulus bill passes before the end of the year, it could bring badly needed financial support.

In addition, early educators are continuing to complete training programs and end certifications.

Source: Department of Early Education and Care

There is much more work to do to build an early education and care system that is stronger than it was before the pandemic, a system that is affordable and offers high-quality early education and care to every interested family as well as fairer wages and a career path for providers.

But for now, Massachusetts is moving forward, with an eye on risks and challenges, to effectively keep early education and care programs open so they can serve children and help parents go back to work.