Title: 
Headings: Child Care Regulations in Maryland
Child
 
Care
 
Regulations
 
in
 
Maryland
 

Overview
 

Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
must
 
be
 
licensed
 

Types
 
of
 
care
 
that
 
may
 
operate
 
without
 
a
 
license
  

Age-group
 
definitions
 

Subsidized
 
child
 
care
 

Whom
 
to
 
contact
 

Maryland
 
Department
 
of
 
Education
 
Division
 
of
 
Early
 
Childhood
 
Development
 

E-mail:
 
dhrhelp@dhr.state.md.us
 

Child
 
abuse
 
reporting
 

Child
 
care
 
centers
 

Licenses
 

State
 
inspection
 

Staff:child
 
ratios
 

Capacity,
 
enrollment,
 
and
 
attendance
 

Staff
 
qualifications
 

Director
 

Group
 
leader
 

Assistant
 
group
 
leader
 

Senior
 
staff
 

Aide
 

Substitute
 

Staff
 
training
 

CPR
 
and
 
first
 
aid
 

Staff
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Staff
 
background
 
checks
 

Discipline
 

Parents’
 
rights
  

Health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements
 

Child
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Care
 
for
 
sick
 
children
 

Family
 
child
 
care
 
homes
 

Licenses
 

State
 
inspection
 

Staff:child
 
ratios
 

Maximum
 
group
 
size
 

Staff
 
qualifications
 

Provider
 

Substitute
 

Provider
 
training
 

CPR
 
and
 
first
 
aid
 

Provider
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Staff
 
background
 
checks
  

Discipline
 

Parents’
 
rights
  

Health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements
 

Transportation
 

Child
 
medical
 
requirements
 

Care
 
for
 
sick
 
children
 


Content: In
 
Maryland,
 
the
 
following
 
forms
 
of
 
child
 
care
 
are
 
exempt
 
from
 
licensing: Care
 
provided
 
in
 
the
 
child’s
 
own
 
home
 
or
 
by
 
relatives
 


 
Kindergartens
 
during
 
hours
 
of
 
instruction
 


 
After-school
 
programs
 
devoted
 
solely
 
to
 
one
 
or
 
more
 
structured
 
educational
 
or
 
recreational
 
activities,
 
including
 
programs
 
operated
 
by
 
law
 
enforcement
 
agencies
 


 
Nursery
 
schools
 
and
 
child
 
care
 
centers
 
operated
 
by
 
tax-exempt
 
religious
 
organizations
 
are
 
exempt
 
from
 
licensing
 
standards
 
pertaining
 
to
 
qualifications
 
for
 
staff
 
and
 
requirements
 
for
 
the
 
program
 
of
 
activities. Exempt
 
centers
 
are
 
granted
 
Letters
 
of
 
Compliance
 
that
 
verify
 
that
 
the
 
program
 
meets
 
all
 
health
 
and
 
safety
 
requirements. Age-group
 
definitions
 

 
Infant: child
 
between
 
6
 
weeks
 
and
 
18
 
months
 


 
Toddler: child
 
between
 
18
 
months
 
and
 
2
 
years
 


 
Preschooler: child
 
between
 
2
 
and
 
5
 
years; and
 
not
 
yet
 
in
 
kindergarten
 


 
School-age: kindergarten
 
and
 
older
 

Subsidized
 
child
 
care
 
The
 
Purchase
 
of
 
Child
 
Care
 
(POC)
 
Subsidy
 
Program
 
provides
 
funds
 
that
 
are
 
made
 
available
 
to
 
eligible
 
families
 
through
 
Maryland’s
 
local
 
Departments
 
of
 
Social
 
Services. Subsidized
 
care
 
is
 
available
 
for
 
both
 
centers
 
and
 
homes.