LOCATE: Child Care is a referral service at the Maryland Family Network offering assistance to parents seeking child care to meet their location, cost and curriculum needs. Using a database of all registered family child care providers, licensed center-based programs, accredited nursery schools, kindergartens, Head Start programs, before and after school programs, and certified camps in the Southern Maryland area, trained counselors are available to share information with parents on child care options as well as provide referrals to programs in their area.

Referral information can be obtained by calling toll free 1-(877) 261-0060 This is a free telephone counseling and referral phone service.  Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9:30am to 3:30pm.

You can also search for child care and after school care online at http://mdchildcare.org/mdcfc/childcare/choose.html.  Click here to see Privacy Policy.

LOCATE Complaint Policy provides the procedures followed by LOCATE staff when a complaint is received about a licensed childcare provider. (See complaint policy)

IMPORTANT! Please read carefully.

All providers listed in LOCATE: Child Care are regulated or approved by the  Maryland State Department of Education, or certified by the Maryland  Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. When LOCATE identifies childcare program options for parents, it means only the programs identified are regulated by the appropriate agency and have met criteria that agency sets forth. The responsibilities for providing LOCATE with accurate listings of regulated providers/programs rests with the appropriate agencies. Responsibility for selecting and employing a child care provider rest with each parent. LOCATE: Child Care cannot guarantee the quality of providers in its files and urges parents to carefully interview and check references before leaving a child in care. A referral from LOCATE does not constitute a recommendation as to the quality of care.

 For Child Care Providers-  LOCATE Family Provider and Center Program Questionnaires forms can be downloaded from www.mdchildcare.org/mdcfc/forproviders/childcare/html

Family Providers and Center Programs can update their Vacancies and Weekly Fees by going to www.mdchildcare.org.  The form can be found on the "for child care providers" page.