PARENTS

LOCATE: Child Care

LOCATE: Child Care is a free resource and referral service that helps parents identify and choose child care best suited to their needs, preferences, and ability to pay. LOCATE offers parents information on all regulated center-based care facilities, family child care, nursery schools, kindergarten, and Head Start programs available in their neighborhood or near their workplace. Service is provided to callers by trained LOCATE counselors who are professionals holding a minimum of a Bachelors Degree in early childhood education or related fields. In addition LOCATE counselors have a minimum of two years experience working in the field of child care or early childhood development.

APPLES for Children, Inc. offers family child care providers and center-based programs a no-cost means of publicizing child care services by providing program information to families needing child care.

The Community Line is open Monday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Thursday from 10:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

STARTING MAY 4, 2009 THE COMMUNITY LINE IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 8:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M.

OFFICE CLOSED ON FRIDAY

In Allegany and Garrett Counties call: 1-800-924-9188. In Washington County call: 301-733-6914. http://www.mdchildcare.org.

Disclaimer Policy

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 child care program options for parents, it means only that the programs identified are regulated by the appropriate agency and have met the criteria that agency sets forth. The responsibility for providing LOCATE with accurate listings of regulated providers/programs rests with the appropriate agencies. Responsibility for selecting and employing a child care provider rests 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.

LOCATE COMPLAINTS

If you are dissatisfied with a caregiver, you may contact LOCATE: Child Care and speak with a counselor to discuss your concerns. Many problems between you and a provider can be resolved. Your counselor can give you some helpful hints for discussing the issue with your provider.

Your regional Office of Child Care (OCC) should be called for any complaints involving a threat to the health, safety or welfare of a child. A counselor can provide you with telephone numbers of offices nearest you.

Below is an overview of the Complaint Policy of the Maryland Child Care Network and the Maryland Committee for Children.

LOCATE Complaint Policy

A parent who is dissatisfied with a caregiver may call LOCATE to register a complaint. The counselor who receives this type of call is prepared to talk about his/her concerns. In addition, the counselor responds objectively to the caller's concerns without forming a judgment about the child care provider or program.

Some difficulties can be worked out over a period of time. Accordingly, the caller is provided with suggestions on how to approach the caregiver or center director, when appropriate.

However, if the parent feels the situation is serious enough to warrant an investigation by the appropriate authority  the LOCATE counselor encourages the parent to report eh violation and gives contact information for the person(s) to whom complaints should be addressed. For a full statement of the Maryland Child Care Network LOCATE Complaint Policy, click here. You will be re-directed to Maryland Committee for Children's website.

Contact APPLES at 301-733-0000 or 800-924-9188 for further information.

8:30 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M., MONDAY-THURSDAY

OFFICE CLOSED ON FRIDAY

LOCATE HOURS: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday

301-733-0000 or call toll-free 1-800-924-9188

Fax: 301-733-0886

Webmaster: Michelle Jakoby