Big news: The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced it is expanding family eligibility for child care assistance! More families are eligible for the help they need paying for child care, starting immediately. The Child Care Subsidy Income guidelines effective August 1st can be found here.
The Child Resource Center and our partners have been working tirelessly for years to support child care providers and families through program services and through advocacy. At Prince George’s Child Resource Center, we know that policies aren’t just words on paper but the real-life work in early childhood programs and the real-life experiences of families.
“This family eligibility expansion news, coupled with the major victory of a provider payment rate increase in the Maryland General Assembly this year, is going to make a difference now and for years to come in Prince George’s County,” said Jennifer Iverson, Executive Director of Prince George’s Child Resource Center. “As advocates, we will continue to lift up the stories of families succeeding because of access to subsidy, and their ability to access quality child care.”
Wins for children and families
In the 2018 General Assembly session, state legislators:
- Approved a budget that protects investments for children and families, including restoring Head Start funding;
- Passed legislation that was signed into law that increases subsidy rates so that low-income children have access to high quality child care programs;
- Passed legislation that was signed into law that continues to support the work of the Kirwan Commission, which recognizes the importance of education 0-5, not just K-12.
- Passed legislation that was signed into law to support coordination of care through a Thrive by Three Fund
Read more about our state policy priorities.
