Step 1 Childcare & Learning
Licensed for 83 children from infancy to 5 years. Runs Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative.
2 Main St/aka 8 Oak Grove Ave, Melrose, MA, 02176
Listing details last changed Jun 28, 2026
Step 1 Childcare & Learning is a center-based child care program in Melrose, Massachusetts.
Capacity
83
Ages
birth to 5 years
License & details for Step 1 Childcare & Learning
- Facility type
- Center-based care
- Early education and care for young children in a non-residential setting such as a school or community center. Also called group and school age programs. Source: MA Department of Early Education and Care, Licensed and Funded Programs dataset (opens in a new tab)
- License
- Licensed
- License status
- licensed
- Legal entity
- Step 1 Childcare and Learning
- Accepts subsidy
- Not reported as accepting subsidy
Ages and room sizes at Step 1 Childcare & Learning
Licensed seats by age group, from the state record. Massachusetts’s staff-to-child ratio is beside each group (1:4 means one staff member for four children).
- Infants30 seats, state ratio 1:3
- Toddlers18 seats, state ratio 1:3 to 1:10
- Preschool35 seats, state ratio 1:10
States draw age groups in different places. Where a group spans more than one of the state’s rows, the ratio reads as a range. These are the state’s limits, not a promise about this center’s own staffing.
Programs & services
- Public programs
- State Pre-K
License and inspection timeline for Step 1 Childcare & Learning
First licensed
April 2015
11 years on the state record
An inspection is a visit by state licensing staff to check that a program follows health and safety rules. Inspection reports are public records. Where the state record has them, we show the most recent date and how many are on record; the state’s reports have the details.
How it compares in Melrose
| Measure | This center | Typical in Melrose |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed capacity | 83 children | 51 children |
| Youngest age served | Birth | Birth |
| Years licensed | 11.5 years | 14.0 years |
Melrose has 11 licensed centers. Step 1 Childcare & Learning is one of 6 that take infants and one of 10 that offer Pre-K.
Where Step 1 Childcare & Learning is
Pin placed from the address on the state record.
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Staff-to-child ratios in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sets a maximum number of children per staff member in licensed child care centers. These are the rows for the ages this center serves. 1:4 means one staff member for four children.
- 0–14 months
- 1:3
- 15–32 months
- 1:4
- 33–71 months
- 1:10
Rule: 606 CMR 7.10(9)(b) (up to 15 months) (opens in a new tab); 606 CMR 7.10(9)(b) (15-33 months) (opens in a new tab); 606 CMR 7.10(9)(b) (33 months to school age, full day) (opens in a new tab). This is the state’s limit, not a promise about this center’s own staffing.
Paying for care in Massachusetts
Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) (opens in a new tab) is Massachusetts’s child care subsidy program. Agency: Department of Early Education and Care (EEC); waitlist via MyChildCareMA, managed by Mass211 with CCRRs.
Ask this center whether it accepts the program; the state record does not list it.
Tour checklist for Step 1 Childcare & Learning
Check each question off as you ask it. Write the answers in the margin.
Questions parents ask about Step 1 Childcare & Learning
Does Step 1 Childcare & Learning accept child care subsidy?
The Massachusetts record does not list Step 1 Childcare & Learning as accepting child care subsidy. That is not the same as a no, so ask the center directly.
What ages does Step 1 Childcare & Learning serve?
Step 1 Childcare & Learning is licensed to care for children from infancy to 5 years. The state record lists these age groups: birth to 5 years.
Does Step 1 Childcare & Learning offer Pre-K or Head Start?
The state record lists Step 1 Childcare & Learning as taking State Pre-K (Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative). Ask the center about openings and how to apply.
How many children is Step 1 Childcare & Learning licensed for?
The state record lists a capacity of 83 children. By age group: 30 infants, 18 toddlers, 35 preschoolers. Capacity is the most the license allows, not how many children are enrolled today.
Is Step 1 Childcare & Learning licensed, and when was it last inspected?
The Massachusetts record lists Step 1 Childcare & Learning's license status as licensed. The state's own reports have the details.
Where this information comes from
Licensing details on this page come from public records kept by Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (opens in a new tab)
This information is sourced from public records and may be incomplete or out of date. For the most current and accurate details, please verify directly with Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.
Data updated Nov 1, 2026 · Source: Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care public records · Check this license on EEC Licensed Child Care Search (Massachusetts) (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →
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Own this center? Get a free website
We build it from a few questions you answer, no code and no design skills needed.
- A hosted website built with you
- The enrollment assistant
- A leads inbox for every inquiry