Child Care/Day Care

Locating the best childcare can be a difficult task. The Department of Health and Human Services' "Steps to Choosing Child Care" offers a step-by-step process for evaluating and selecting the right place for your child. It also offers a list of resource centers that you can call to determine what is available in your neighborhood.

If you would rather conduct an on-line search via your computer, there is an on-line system that allows you to search for current child care programs by type of setting or by location within the state.

Brief information about child care and day care with links to the applicable rules

Family Child Care(formerly Home Day Care): Any person who provides child care in that person's home on a regular basis, for consideration, for three (3) to twelve (12) children under thirteen (13) years of age who are not the children of the provider must have a certificate from the Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/10/148/148co33.doc (Word)

Child Care Facility: means a child care center, small child care facility or nursery school.

Child care center means:

  1. A house or other place in which a person maintains or otherwise carries out a regular program, for consideration, for any part of a day providing care and protection for 13 or more children under 13 years of age; or
  2. Any location or locations operated as a single child care program or by a person or persons when there are more than 12 children being cared for.

Small child care facility means a house or other place, not the residence of the operator, in which a person or combination of persons maintains or otherwise carries out a regular program, for consideration, for any part of a day providing care and protection for 3 to 12 children under 13 years of age.

Nursery school means a house or other place in which a person or combination of persons maintains or otherwise carries out for consideration during the day a regular program that provides care for 3 or more children 33 months of age or older and under 8 years of age, provided that:

  1. No session conducted for the children is longer than 3 1/2 hours in length;
  2. No more than 2 sessions are conducted per day;
  3. Each child in attendance at the nursery school attends only one session per day; and
  4. No hot meal is served to the children.

See also: DHHS Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities (Word, 448kb)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find a Family Child Care or a Child Care Facility?

This on-line system that allows you to search for current child care programs by type of setting or by location within the state.

Is there a webpage that lists the child care licensing rules?

For a list of child care licensing rules with corresponding hyperlinks, go to http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/cclicensing.htm

How do I report a complaint of abuse or neglect or a complaint regarding licensing violations?

To report abuse/neglect by a Child Care provider: call 1-800-452-1999. This is a 24 hour hotline. TTY: (207) 287-5048

If at anytime you feel that your child may at risk at their child care program, you should contact the Department immediately.

You may report a complaint regarding licensing violations to the Office of Child Care Licensing at 207-287-9300.

If I want to operate a child care from my home, do I need to be licensed?

Maine Law (22 M.R.S.A. § 7801) requires that a certificate to operate a family child care be acquired prior to the provision of care under the following circumstances. Any person who receives some type of payment for providing care for three (3) to twelve (12) children between the ages of 6 weeks old and 13 years old, who are not related to the applicant, must have a certificate from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Does the Department of Health and Human Services have rules for family child care providers?

Yes. The Rules are available from the Secretary of State website (Word)

If I want to provide child care for more than 2 children, who are not related to me, at a place that is not my residence, for some type of payment, do I need to be licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services?

Yes. Maine Law (22 M.R.S.A. § 7801) requires that a person receive a license to operate a child care facility prior to the provision of care to children.

Does the Department of Health and Human Services have rules for child care facilities?

Yes. The Rules are available on the Secretary of State Rules website (Word)

How can I determine whether a child care is licensed or not?

You should contact the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services at 207- 287-5060 and ask to speak with a childcare licensing intake worker.

Who do I contact if I have concerns about a licensed or an unlicensed child care?

In urgent situations, contact Child Protective Services Emergency Hotline at 1-800-452-1999. You may also contact the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services at (207) 287-5060 and ask to speak with a child care licensing intake worker.

Who is required to report abuse, neglect or exploitation of children to the Department of Health and Human Services?

By law pursuant to 22 M.R.S.A. § 4011-A, a number of adult persons acting in their employment capacity, are required to immediately report or cause a report to be made to the Department of Health and Human Services when that person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected. Click on this statutory website to find out if you are required to report: http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/22/title22sec4011-A.html

If I have appealed a decision by the Department of Health and Human Services, are there any rules that govern the Administrative Hearing process?

Yes. The Administrative Hearings Regulations are available online from the Secretary of State website (Word