Maryland State Requirements

Qualifications: Senior Staff: At least 20 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent or successful completion of courses for credit from accredited college or university; and 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours of approved training or CDA and either 1 year supervised work experience in group program for preschoolers or as a registered family child care provider, or 1 year of college or equivalent combination of college and experience; or at least 19 years old and hold AA degree in early childhood education or recreation. Persons approved or certified by State Department of Education as teacher for grades nursery through third grade are also considered qualified as senior staff.

Provider/Child Ratio:
Age Range     Ratios for Center Based Care in Maryland State
Infants     (1:3)
Young toddlers     (1:3)
2 years     (1:6)
Preschool     (1:10)
Schoolage     (1:15)
Mixed age group     varies by ages
Age Range     Ratios for Family Child Care in Maryland State
All ages    

(1:8) no more than 2 children under age 2

Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Maryland Department of Education
Division of Early Childhood Development
Office of Child Care
311 W. Saratoga Street, 1st Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 767-7802
Toll Free: (800) 332-6347
Fax: (410) 333-8699

Child Care Subsidy Agency
Maryland Department of Education
Division of Early Childhood Development
Office of Child Care
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410)767-7128
Toll Free: (800) 332-6347
Fax: (410) 333-8699

Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Division of Instruction and Early Learning
200 W. Baltimore Street, 5th Floor
Baltimore, MD, 21201
Phone: (410) 767-0140
Fax: (410) 333-2379

Child Care Food Program Agency
Maryland Department of Education
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2595
Phone: (410) 767-0199
Fax: (410) 333-2635

State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Maryland Committee for Children, Inc.
608 Water Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 752-7588
Fax: (410) 752-6286

Office of Child Support Enforcement
Child Support Enforcement Administration
Department of Human Resources
Saratoga State Center 311 West Saratoga Street, Room 329
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3521