Maryland child care assistance.

The program that helps Maryland families pay for child care, who can apply, how to apply, and how providers take part. Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The program in Maryland

WhatDetails
ProgramChild Care Scholarship ProgramSource: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.
Run byMaryland State Department of EducationSource: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: who can apply

  • The program helps eligible working families in Maryland pay for child care.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Families send proof of an approved activity, such as work, school, or job training.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Families pay a co-payment set by the state directly to their child care provider.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: how to apply

For providers: how to take part

  • Families use the scholarship with a child care provider that takes part in Maryland EXCELS.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • The scholarship is a signed agreement between the state, the provider, and the parent.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Once the child starts care, the provider sends an invoice and the state pays the scholarship share.Source: Child Care Scholarship Program, Maryland OneStop. Checked November 3, 2026.

Questions about child care assistance in Maryland

What is the child care assistance program in Maryland called?

Child Care Scholarship Program. It is run by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Who can apply for child care assistance in Maryland?

The program helps eligible working families in Maryland pay for child care. Families send proof of an approved activity, such as work, school, or job training. Families pay a co-payment set by the state directly to their child care provider.

How do families apply in Maryland?

Families send the Child Care Scholarship application, with proof of work or training and income, to CCS Central. Official page: https://family.childcareportals.org/

How does a child care provider take part in Maryland?

Families use the scholarship with a child care provider that takes part in Maryland EXCELS. The scholarship is a signed agreement between the state, the provider, and the parent. Once the child starts care, the provider sends an invoice and the state pays the scholarship share.

Sources

Every source is an official government page.

About this page

We read each source above on an official government site on November 3, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from.

If a fact is not here, we could not read it on an official page, so we left it out.

Programs change their rules, limits and forms. Confirm with the agency before you apply or enroll as a provider.

This page is a summary of public information. Bloomily does not run these programs or decide who qualifies.

More about child care in Maryland

Child care assistance in other states

Billing a family with a subsidy

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