The Following Child Care Options Are Available in Maine
Child Care Opportunities Resource Development Center can provide you with details about what child care services are available in your area.
Child Care Centers (licensed) – Facilities licensed by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and must meet minimum requirements concerning health and safety. Centers are subject to biannual inspections by a State Fire Marshal as well as annual review by the DHHS Licensing Unit.
Facilities licensed as a child care center may serve more than three children from the age of 6 weeks to age 13. Centers often have a more structured schedule and children are grouped according to age. Child Care Centers usually follow regular work hours and may be closed for holidays. Yearly minimum training requirements, including CPR and First Aid, must be maintained by staff of the center. Child care centers must be in the Quality for ME in order to accept state vouchers.
Family Child Care (licensed) – A licensed family child care provider may care for 8 to 12 children, ages 6 weeks to 13 years in regular or part-time care. They must meet minimum health and safety requirements, and are inspected bi-annually by a State Fire Marshal and annually by a DHHS Licensing Worker.
The average family child care home in Maine cares for 11 children. Family Child Care Homes often have mixed age groups. Family Child Care Providers are required to take a 6 hour Getting Started in Family Child Care course offered through Child Care Opportunities Resource Development Center or one of the other regional Resource Development Centers. Annual training requirements, including CPR and First Aid, must be maintained. If a person cares for only one or two children they are exempt from license requirements (see legal-unlicensed child care below).
Legal Unlicensed Child Care (Care for ME) – Homes in which only one or two children, not related to the care giver, are cared for without a license. Care for ME is a program funded through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, which performs background checks on legal unlicensed providers and maintains a database that is available to parents to verify the background of their Kith and Kin provider. This is often referred to as Kith and Kin Care or Family, Friend and Neighbor Care.
School-Age Child Care – Care provided for children ages 5-16 during non-school hours. It is available in a variety of settings: schools, community centers, Y’s, religious organizations, child care centers, and family day care homes. These programs must comply with DHHS regulations. Group sizes are determined by state regulations, and programs are licensed. Some programs run on a school calendar, while others operate year round. School-age care can be provided before school begins, in the after-school hours, and possibly on school holidays and breaks. In some cases, transportation and meals are provided as well.
In-Home Care – A relative, friend or someone else that you hire to care for your child in your home. This option is not regulated by the state.
OTHER OPTIONS
Nursery Schools (licensed) – Facilities for 3 or more children between the ages of 3 and 7 that provide half-day care (up to 3 1/2 hours), not including kindergarten programs. Parents often combine these programs with other types of child care to create a full-day child care.
Head Start - Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood development program for children, ages 3-5, whose family income is at or below the poverty level or who have a disability. Comprehensive services include education, health, nutrition, and social skills. Traditionally Head Start is a part-day, part-year program, operating for 3 1/2 hours to 6 hours per day for 32 weeks a year. Most Head Start programs throughout Maine now offer “wrap around services” which combines Head Start services with child care services to offer full-day, full-year programs to families. Through Home Start, Head Start programming is offered at family child care homes.
Early Head Start is a family focused program for children ages 0-3 with the same eligibility requirements as Head Start. Early Head Start services are available in many areas of Maine. Check with your local Head Start provider or Resource Development Center to see if Early Head Start is available in your area.
Public Pre-K Programs - Regulated by the Maine Department of Education and offered by local public school systems. These are free programs, usually 1/2 day for 4 year olds. In some communities, Public Pre-K programs partner with head start or other child care providers.
