Child Care Expanded For Marylanders Returning To Work Under First Stage Of Recovery Plan
BALTIMORE (WJZ) - Parents returning to work under Maryland's Stage 1 opening of businesses can immediately access an open Essential Personnel Child Care, or Essential Personnel School-Age program, the state announced.
As the State entered the first recovery stage, MSDE announced the immediate start of a transition phase for child care by expanding access to child care to include families returning to work under Gov. Larry Hogan's latest executive order.
State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon issued the following statement in a news release:
"We extend our heartfelt thanks to Maryland's child care providers, teachers and staff who have agreed to deliver services for essential persons and first responders, as well as those child care providers who have remained closed for the health and safety of their staff and families. Maryland's family and center-based child care providers are critical to our recovery efforts – we will move forward together with safety as the priority."
Parents returning to work under Maryland's Stage 1 opening of businesses can immediately access an open Essential Personnel Child Care or Essential Personnel School-Age program.
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In this transition stage, all new families -- not designated as essential workers -- accessing child care will pay tuition directly to providers. The State said it will extend payment of childcare tuition for all pre-recovery phase essential personnel through June 7. Beginning June 8, childcare tuition will be paid by all parents directly to the provider.
MSDE said it will also ensure that there are Essential Personnel School-Age Child Care facilities available to provide care for students through the end of the school year.
Additional child care providers can apply to open as new Essential Personnel Child Care or Essential Personnel School-Age programs under Maryland's Recovery Plan for Child Care.
As the State slowly and reopens during stages 1 and 2, eligible persons can find family and center-based child care programs at by clicking here. There is also free service available by phone Monday through Friday at 877-261-0060 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The child care recovery plan details the progression of future child care openings through Stage 2 of the Governor's Roadmap to Recovery, and the eventual opening of all child care facilities and the end of the essential personnel child care program in the third recovery stage.
The full draft of Maryland Together: Maryland's Recovery Plan for Child Care is posted. You can access it by clicking here.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.