Child care providers in Maryland ordered to close in response to coronavirus pandemic

Child care providers across the State of Maryland must close by the end of business Friday in response to ongoing efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

During the State of Emergency, child care programs have been established by the State to serve only designated essential personnel. The programs are at no cost to designated essential personnel.

The children of essential personnel attending the State-funded child care programs will be kept at an appropriate distance from each other with ratios of one teacher to nine children and smaller class sizes for younger children.

Parents/guardians are strongly urged to keep children at home as the first and best option to protect them from the virus; it should be noted in the Governor’s March 13, 2020 Executive Order, licensing regulations were relaxed to allow for Family, Friend and Neighbor care for five or fewer students.

If closed licensed child care programs are willing to provide child care to children of essential personnel, they may reopen beginning March 30, 2020, with the following requirements:

• Programs must apply with their Regional Licensing Specialists to be approved before they begin serving eligible families.
• These programs may only reopen after a thorough cleaning has been conducted.
• They must only serve the children of essential personnel.

Child care providers with questions can contact their Regional Licensing Specialist.