Maryland Child Office of Child Care

The following links will provide information to guide you in your search for quality child care for your child.

• Child Care Basics
• Choosing Child Care
• Specialized Child Care
• Types of Care

Learn about the licensing requirements for child care programs and see reports of a provider’s compliance to those requirements.

• Guide to Regulated Child Care (PDF)
• Licensing Inspection Forms
• Child Care Program Inspection Results
• Serious Injuries and Deaths Report (PDF)

Learn about programs who have committed to going beyond state regulations in providing quality child care and education programs.

• Maryland EXCELS Program Quality Ratings
• Maryland EXCELS: What do the checks mean? (PDF)
• Quality Matters: The Look of High-Quality

Informal child care is when a person cares for a child in the family home or in their own home, receives no compensation of any kind, or provides care for less than 20 hours per month. Access informal provider reports below.

• Informal Provider Monitoring Report (PDF)
• Informal Child Care Monitoring Inspections

Use the links below to search for child care that meets your family’s needs.

• Find child care near your home or work
• Head Start or Early Head Start Programs
• Program Quality Ratings

• Access Prekindergarten Programs

• Family Engagement
• Fingerprinting Processing
• How to Become a Family Child Care Provider
• How to Get a License and Operate a Child Care Center
• Licensing Regulations and Manuals
• Child Care Scholarship
• American Disabilities Act and Child Care

• Asthma and Allergy Resource Guide (PDF)
• Basic Health and Safety Training
• Child Abuse, Neglect, and Mental Injury (PDF)
• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Emergency Preparedness

• Environmental Safety
  • Child Care Weather Watch Chart (PDF)
  • FAQ on Lead and Lead Poisoning (PDF)

• First Aid
• Medication Administration

• Safe Sleep Practices:
  • Crib Safety Tips (PDF)
  • Crib Standards (PDF)
  • Safe Sleep Practices and Swaddling (PDF)
  • CPR, First Aid, SIDS Training Sources (PDF)

• Transportation (PDF)

• Careers in Early Childhood
• Maryland Child Care Credential Program
  • Training Vouchers and Reimbursements
  • Professional Development Fund
  • Quality Incentive Grant
  • Provider Grant Program

• Maryland SEFEL Pyramid Model
• Preventing Suspension and Expulsion (PDF)
• Training for Child Care Providers
• Find your Child Care Resource Center

• Developmental Screening
• Family Support Centers
• Judy Centers
• Maryland Child Care Resource Centers
• Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting in Maryland
• Parenting Support
• Maryland Child Support Administration
• Maryland Workforce Development
• Visit 211
• Special Needs
  • Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program
  • Infants and Toddlers Child Find Contact List (PDF)
  • Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council
  • Maryland Learning Links
  • The Parents’ Place of Maryland
  • Hearing Aid Loan Bank

• Emergency Assistance to Families with Children
• Energy Assistance
• Housing Assistance
• Homeless Services
• Temporary Cash Assistance

• Food Supplement Program
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
• Maryland Children’s Health Program
• Maryland Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The following links will provide information to guide you in your search for quality child care for your child.

• Child Care Basics
• Choosing Child Care
• Specialized Child Care
• Types of Care

Learn about the licensing requirements for child care programs and see reports of a provider’s compliance to those requirements.

• Guide to Regulated Child Care (PDF)
• Licensing Inspection Forms
• Child Care Program Inspection Results
• Serious Injuries and Deaths Report (PDF)

Learn about programs who have committed to going beyond state regulations in providing quality child care and education programs.

• Maryland EXCELS Program Quality Ratings
• Maryland EXCELS: What do the checks mean? (PDF)
• Quality Matters: The Look of High-Quality

Informal child care is when a person cares for a child in the family home or in their own home, receives no compensation of any kind, or provides care for less than 20 hours per month. Access informal provider reports below.

• Informal Provider Monitoring Report (PDF)
• Informal Child Care Monitoring Inspections

Use the links below to search for child care that meets your family’s needs.

• Find child care near your home or work
• Head Start or Early Head Start Programs
• Program Quality Ratings

• Access Prekindergarten Programs

• Family Engagement
• Fingerprinting Processing
• How to Become a Family Child Care Provider
• How to Get a License and Operate a Child Care Center
• Licensing Regulations and Manuals
• Child Care Scholarship
• American Disabilities Act and Child Care

• Asthma and Allergy Resource Guide (PDF)
• Basic Health and Safety Training
• Child Abuse, Neglect, and Mental Injury (PDF)
• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Emergency Preparedness

• Environmental Safety
  • Child Care Weather Watch Chart (PDF)
  • FAQ on Lead and Lead Poisoning (PDF)

• First Aid
• Medication Administration

• Safe Sleep Practices:
  • Crib Safety Tips (PDF)
  • Crib Standards (PDF)
  • Safe Sleep Practices and Swaddling (PDF)
  • CPR, First Aid, SIDS Training Sources (PDF)

• Transportation (PDF)

• Careers in Early Childhood
• Maryland Child Care Credential Program
  • Training Vouchers and Reimbursements
  • Professional Development Fund
  • Quality Incentive Grant
  • Provider Grant Program

• Maryland SEFEL Pyramid Model
• Preventing Suspension and Expulsion (PDF)
• Training for Child Care Providers
• Find your Child Care Resource Center