The first five years last forever. That’s why the decisions you make about early care and education are crucial. Maryland Family Network is here to help parents and caregivers navigate these early years with our LOCATE:  Child Care referral service along with advice and support to help you navigate your child’s first five years.
Happy baby with child care provider.

Locate: Child Care

Child Care is a free referral service affiliated with all of Maryland’s regulated child care providers. Trained specialists can help you identify child care based on program type, location and cost.

Niña en cuidado infantil de calidad.

Servicio Especial En Español

La filosofia del Red familiar es que todos los niños, independientemente del idioma que hablen, tienen derecho a cuidado infantile económico y de calidad. MFN cree que es el derecho de los padres tomar una decision informada acerca del cuidado infantile. Por eso, MFN ha desarrollado el servicio LOCATE: Child Care en español.

Happy red haired girl in quality child care.

Tips For Choosing Child Care

A great child care provider will understand your child’s needs at each age and stage of development, providing an enriching experience for your child and peace of mind for you. Find tips for finding the best child care for your family.

Two boys learning in a Family Support Center.

Maryland's Family Support Patty Center Network

Maryland's Family Support Patty Center Network helps children learn and parents earn. They help more than 3,000 parents a year finish their education and learn job readiness skills while their very young children have access to a state-of-the-art early care that helps them reach their greatest potential.

Caregiver and baby

Maryland's Network of Early Head Start Centers

Find Your Early Head Start Centers help children learn and parents earn. Our centers help more than 3,000 parents a year finish their education and learn job readiness skills while their very young children have access to a state-of-the-art early care that helps them reach their greatest potential.

baby with father

Locate: For Special Needs

All children deserve quality child care, and parents of children with special needs should be empowered to make informed decisions about their child care needs. Learn more about Maryland Family Network’s LOCATE: Child Care Special Needs Service.

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families Maryland / Parent Cafes

Strengthening Families is an international initiative to promote healthy families while reducing the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. As the Maryland coordinator of Strengthening Families, MFN established Parent Cafés, where caregivers can discuss ways to establish protective environments at home and at child care centers.

Training

Parent Leadership Institute

The Maryland Family Network Parent Leadership Institute helps parents to increase and build skills, and to take active, effective leadership roles within their families and communities.

LOCATE Corporate Page

LOCATE: for Johns Hopkins

Maryland Family Network's LOCATE: Child Care Corporate Enhanced Referral Service is contracted by certain employers and institutions as a benefit to provide customized referral services and child care information to qualifying families.

Childhood Adversity Shortens Lives

Parent Cafes - For Parents

Being a parent or caregiver is wonderful – and it can be hard (really hard) sometimes. Parent Cafés are created by parents, for parents.