Are you looking to start a child care business in Baltimore, MD? If so, you must obtain a valid license from the Office of Child Care. This article will provide an overview of the licensing process for child care providers in Baltimore, MD.Child Care Centers (CCC) must have a valid license from the Office of Child Care. CCCs are agencies, institutions or establishments that provide child care to children on a regular schedule for at least two days a week and two hours a day. To begin the licensing process, you must attend an in-person orientation training session.
Contact the Regional Licensing Office of the Office of Child Care to schedule orientation training.Once you have completed the online orientation, you must submit a request for family child care or a notice of intention to open a child care center. If your child is being cared for in someone's home, you'll enter the name of the person who's caring for your child. Additionally, Medication Management Training (MAT) is pre-service training required for people who want to obtain a child care center license or family child care registry in Maryland.The family child care home (FCC) must have a registration certificate from the Office of Child Care and the home must meet the registration requirements. The Child Care Scholarship Program (CCS) provides financial assistance to cover child care costs to eligible working families in Maryland.If you believe that a particular child care program is in violation of state laws or regulations on child care licensing, you can file an official complaint against that program.
Additionally, child care programs that have their own state-certified electronic fingerprint equipment and operators can continue to file CBC applications. The Licensing Branch also works with elected officials, other government agencies, the caregiver community, child care advocates, and consumers of child care services to keep all children in care safe and healthy.To become a child care provider, you must first decide if you want to open a business in your home or if you want to create a center-based business. Follow the steps outlined below to ensure that your chosen provider is licensed and meets all health and safety regulations:
- Take an in-person orientation training session.
- Submit a request for family child care or a notice of intention to open a child care center.
- Complete Medication Management Training (MAT).
- Obtain a registration certificate from the Office of Child Care.
- Check if your provider is listed on CheckCCMD.
A child care provider may have a business license issued by a city or county, but this is not equivalent to the registration or license issued by the Office of Child Care. If after checking the correct spelling and searching by city or zip code, your provider still doesn't appear in CheckCCMD, then it may not be an authorized child care provider. By following these steps and ensuring that your chosen provider is licensed by the state of Maryland, you can have peace of mind when leaving your children in someone else's care.
