Maryland

Staff-child ratios (centers)

Requirements

Annual training

At least 12 clock hours of approved continued training per full year of employment for child care teachers and directors (at least 6 hours core-of-knowledge training, up to 6 hours elective), per COMAR 13A.16.06.

Lead teacher

A preschool child care teacher must complete 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours of approved preservice training, or hold the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, plus one year of supervised experience with preschoolers or equivalent college coursework (COMAR 13A.16.06.09).

Director

A center director must have a high school diploma or equivalent, 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours of approved preservice training or the CDA National Credential, plus 3 semester hours (or equivalent) of approved administrative training (COMAR 13A.16.06.05).

Worth knowing

Two-year-olds have their own band: 1:6 with a maximum group of 12. Age is determined by the child's most recent birthday. Infant and toddler groups may be mixed under special staffing rules in COMAR 13A.16.08.03.

Compliance

Background checks

Everyone who works or lives in a Maryland child care facility must complete the CCDBG-style comprehensive background check at least every 5 years: state fingerprint criminal check plus FBI fingerprint check via CJIS, state and NCIC/national sex-offender registry checks, state child abuse/neglect (CPS) registry check, and criminal, sex-offender, and abuse/neglect registry checks in every state of residence in the past 5 years. COMAR 13A.16.06.03 lists the disqualifying crimes and the suitability assessment for CPS findings.

Mandated reporting

Yes — under Md. Family Law §5-704 every educator and human service worker acting professionally (which covers child care staff) must report suspected abuse/neglect orally as soon as possible and in writing within 48 hours; staff orientation must cover these reporting obligations and the signs of abuse (COMAR 13A.16.06.02).

First aid & CPR

At all times, including off-site activities and transportation, at least one child care teacher or the director present must hold current approved first aid and CPR certification appropriate to all age groups served; centers approved for more than 20 children must keep certified staff in a ratio of at least 1 per 20 children present (COMAR 13A.16.10.02).

Health & safety training

Before assuming duties, each staff member must receive documented orientation on 11 topics including emergency evacuation, handwashing, discipline policy, and recognizing/reporting abuse and neglect (COMAR 13A.16.06.02); staff must also complete approved basic health and safety training within 90 days of employment (e.g., COMAR 13A.16.06.09). Teachers additionally need 90 clock hours (or equivalent/CDA) of preservice training and 12 clock hours of continued training per year.

Operations

Supervision rule

Each child must be assigned at all times to a group supervised by a qualified teacher or director, with backup adult arrangements when a single staffer meets ratio (COMAR 13A.16.08.02). During rest time, staff assigned to children under 2 must remain with them; for children 2+, once all are resting quietly at least one teacher or aide stays in the room while other staff remain on premises within hearing distance (13A.16.08.08); separate rules govern water activities, transportation, and playground supervision (13A.16.08.05-.07).

Record-keeping

Centers must keep program, child, and staff records (COMAR 13A.16.03.03-.05); each child's record includes an emergency form updated at least annually, a physician's health assessment, immunization documentation per Maryland Department of Health schedules, and logs of injuries, medication, exclusions, and field-trip permissions, retained during enrollment and for 2 years after disenrollment (13A.16.03.04).

Inspections

MSDE conducts an announced inspection before issuing an initial or continuing license and at least one unannounced inspection within every 12-month period thereafter; inspectors may enter without prior notice (COMAR 13A.16.17.02), and chapter 13A.16.17 also governs complaints and enforcement.

Worth knowing: dsd.maryland.gov COMAR pages returned redirects/404 to automated access, so COMAR text was verified via the Cornell LII mirror of the official COMAR plus MSDE pages. Complaint-procedure detail (13A.16.17.01) was not individually reviewed.

Family & home child care

COMAR 13A.15 (Family Child Care) and COMAR 13A.18 (Large Family Child Care Homes)

Registered family child care home (certificate of registration)

Maximum of 8 children in care at any one time; resident children younger than 6 (including the provider's own) are counted as children in care (COMAR 13A.15.04.03).No more than 4 of the 8 may be younger than 2. Caring for more than 2 children under 2 requires office approval, 45 clock hours of approved infant/toddler training, and an additional adult present whenever more than 2 under-2s are in care.

Large family child care home (9 to 12 children)

Approved to operate with a capacity of 9 to 12 children; the maximum total capacity is 12 (COMAR 13A.18.01.02 and 13A.18.04.02). Staffing follows group-size tables in COMAR 13A.18.08.03 (e.g., a mixed-age group of up to 12 that includes 1-2 children under 2 needs 2 staff; with 3-4 under-2s, up to 3 staff).Infant-only groups: 1 staff per 3 infants, maximum group size 6. Mixed-age groups may include at most 4 children under 2, with 2-3 staff depending on group size (COMAR 13A.18.08.03).

Provider training

After the first year of registration, 12 clock hours of approved continued training annually, at least 6 of them in core-knowledge areas (COMAR 13A.15.06.02).

Worth knowing

Maryland's small-home credential is a 'certificate of registration', which functions as the license. Large family child care homes are separately registered under COMAR 13A.18 and have their own staff ('family child care teacher') qualification and training rules.