Support for children and families
211 assists parents and families with basic needs, including but not limited to housing, employment, health insurance, energy and food, and more. Dial 2-1-1 to speak with an information and referral specialist. Taking care of everyday needs is the first step to building a strong foundation for your family.
Quickly find the resources you need most. Some of the commonly requested requirements include the following:
Finding child care
LOCAL: Childcare is a free, confidential referral service that helps you find the best local childcare provider. Service can help save time at center-based child care centers, private day care centers, private preschools, Head Start, school-age and after-school programs Fill out an online intake form and a LOCATE: Child Care referral specialist will call you back within three business days.
Once you have a list of local child care providers, call them and ask about their program. You can ask about provider/child ratios, whether meals and snacks are served, hours of operation, and whether parents can watch play online or at specific times.
Then schedule a site visit and see how the teachers/providers/staff interact with children, the cleanliness, space and play areas.
Ask for referrals or talk to other parents in the community to learn more about their experience in a child care setting.
The Maryland Family Network has a comprehensive list of questions and observations for parents looking for safe and reliable child care.
These 211 searches also provide resources for child care.
Head start and family assistance
Head Start provides services for children from birth to age 5.
Early Head Start (EHS) programs provide child development and care programs for children under 3 and pregnant women.
Head Start also offers family support programs that focus on the relationship and bond between parent and child or child and caregiver. Find a Head Start center close to you.
Maryland's family support centers also help families with children up to age three. Many of them have integrated Early Head Start (EHS) centers. Focus on the child and parent with career readiness skills, helping parents build social networks, and strengthening parenting skills.
Find a local family assistance center or search the 211 database for all early childhood education.
Payment for childcare
If you need help paying for child care, the Child Care Scholarship (CCS) provides assistance for income-qualified working families. You may also know it by its former name, Child Care Subsidy. Check out the latest income qualifications that families receive child care subsidies.
You must prove you have a job, are attending school or an approved job training program, verify pay stubs or approved activities, prove all other income including child support, prove your identity, and verify your address.
Additional resources may also be available in your county. For example, the Working Parents Assistance Program (WPA) is a private-public fund run by volunteers that provides child care subsidies to eligible families in Montgomery County.
The WPA program offers a slightly higher maximum income qualification, so more people can qualify for financial assistance. Compare the two programs or fill out an application for WPA .
Search the 211 database for assistance with child care costs.
Child development and early intervention
Parents play an important role in a child's development. The Centers for Disease Control's Milestone Tracker app lets you track your child's milestones from 2 months to 5 years old. You can also keep track of your child's doctor's appointments and receive tips and activities to promote child development. Download it for Apple or Android .
Maryland Infants and Toddlers The program also breaks down developmental milestones and red flags by age so you can identify delays and request an evaluation if you feel your child needs support or if you are referred for support with speech/language, physical therapy or occupational therapy.
If you have questions about your child's development, Program for Infants and Toddlers of Maryland can assess your child and provide family intervention services and support for children who qualify for the program. Free service supports eligible children under age three who meet program guidelines.