Press release originally published by Maryland Family Network, November 16, 2021. For full article, please visit the Maryland Family Network website here.
Child care educators work hard and are essential to our community. That’s why the Maryland Child Care Resource Network is here to help. We are pleased to announce that the bid process was completed in October 2021 and eight agencies have been selected to operate Child Care Resource Centers (CCRCs) beginning January 1, 2022. CCRCs provide leadership, training, coaching, program supports and other services to child care providers as well as assist families in finding child care and navigating support services such as Child Care Scholarship assistance. While the structure has changed, the services remain the same and are even more convenient. The eight CCRCs in Maryland work collaboratively with local and state partners to ensure every child care educator and program are provided high quality professional development and support services.
Maryland Family Network, who coordinates the network of CCRCs with funding from the Maryland State Department of Education, conducted a multi-year strategic planning process. Many conversations were held with current CCRC sponsoring agencies, local and state partners, as well as CCRC leaders from across the county. As a result of this deliberate process, Maryland Family Network ultimately decided to reduce the number of sponsoring agencies. This infrastructure redesign allows organizations to invest in more trainers, coaches, infant and toddler specialists, and family resource specialists. An increase in available support staff will result in faster responses and service delivery more conveniently located to meet the needs of providers.
Under the new structure, each CCRC will still have at least one main office, but they will also be establishing multiple collaborative partnerships to utilize space throughout the jurisdiction. Instead of driving up to an hour away to the CCRC headquarters, collaborative offices will make coaches available at the local library, Judy Center, coffee shop, or other location closer to providers’ businesses. Providers are still welcome to come to the CCRC to utilize various resources such as laptops, scanners, photocopiers, and of course to meet with a coach or specialist.
Regions in which there is no change to the sponsoring agency are:
- Child Resource Center at Abilities Network Project ACT for Central Maryland North (Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil Counties)
- Baltimore City Child Care Resource Center at The Family Tree for Baltimore City
- Howard County Child Care Resource Center at the Howard County Office of Children and Families for Howard County
- Montgomery County Child Care Resource and Referral Center at Montgomery County Dept. of Health and Human Services for Montgomery County
- The Promise Resource Center for Southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties)
The sponsoring agencies in the consolidated regions provided thoughtful and intentional plans which demonstrate a commitment to meeting the needs of every provider and family in the region. Changes in those regions consist of:
- Central Maryland South consists of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties and will be operated by Prince George’s Child Resource Center. Arundel Child Care Connections, the current CCRC for Anne Arundel County, is merging with Prince Georges Child Resource Center and will continue to provide services at the Calvert Street office in Annapolis.
- The new Western Maryland region consists of Allegany, Garrett, Washington, Frederick, and Carroll Counties. Child Care Choices, a program of the Mental Health Association, will continue to provide services in this region and will expand offerings in convenient locations.
- The Eastern Shore has been consolidated to include Queen Anne’s, Kent, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties. The Education Department at Salisbury University, who currently operates the Lower Shore Child Care Resource Center, will be changing the program name to Eastern Shore Child Care Resource Center with locations in Salisbury (at the office near the stadium) and in Wye Mills (at the MHEC building at Chesapeake College).
For more information about the Maryland Child Care Resource Network, visit us at marylandfamilynetwork.org/MCCRN.
Questions about the Maryland Child Care Resource Network may be directed to MCCRNinfo@marylandfamilynetwork.org.
For more information about Child Care Choices, visit us at fcmha.org/how-we-help/child-care-choices.