Contact Information:

Office of Child Care Region 6 (Howard County)
Maryland State Department of Education
3300 N. Ridge Road, Suit 190
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Map This Location

To obtain required “local permits” for a child care center license or family child care registration - click here 

For Provider Training (Pre-Service and Continuing) - please click here to find MSDE-approved training courses, trainers and training organizations.

Region 6 - Helpful Contact Information

Howard Co. Child Care Resource Center
(Provider Training & Child Care Referral Service)
9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia, MD 21046
Office: 410-313-1940/ Fax: 410-313-1430

Maryland Child Care Credentialing Program
MSDE/Office of Child Care Credentialing Branch 
200 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201
Office: 410-767-7805

Howard Co. Health Department
10630 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
Office: 410-313-7500/ 410-880-5888

Howard Co. Dept. of Social Services
7121 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046
Main Line: 410-872-4200/ Fax: 410-872-0914
POC: x376; x385
Food Program: x295, 297, or 362

Howard Co. Office of Planning & Zoning
George Howard Building
3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Office: 410-313-2393
Permits: 410-313-2436 or 2455

Howard Co. Family Child Care Association (HCFOCC)
P.O. Box 2154, Columbia, MD 21045
Message board: 410-776-4841 

Howard Co. Department of Fire & Rescue Services
6751 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
410-313-6040

Maryland Dept. of Public Safety - CJIS Customer Service Center (Fingerprinting)
6776 Reisterstown Road Plaza, Suite 200,
Baltimore, MD 21215
410-764-4501
(Mon. - Fri., 8 am - 3:30 pm, Sat., 9 am - 4 pm)

Upcoming Events and Other Information:

Dear Providers,

We will be having a listening sessions for all child care providers.

We encourage your participation. We anticipate a number of providers to join us for this session. As a result, we are asking you to please be considerate and mute your device or telephone during the presentation. We understand there will be a lot of questions, so time will be provided at the end. It is important to note that this session will be recorded.

Please join us by using the information provided below.

Child Care Listening Sessions: 

TBA

REGIONAL ONLINE ORIENTATIONS

Virtual Orientation and Regulation Review Schedule for Region 6 & 13

Anyone who is interested in starting a child care business in a home or center is required to complete an orientation training. Please email the office at occ6how.msde@maryland.gov to express your interest in completing an orientation.

Include your name, phone number, which orientation you would like to attend, and the email address you would like the Google Hangout invitation to be sent to. The upcoming dates are listed below.

Family Child Care Orientations:
As a new applicant, you are required to attend an orientation session offered by the Office of Child Care (OCC) before the OCC can conduct an initial inspection of your home.

New Child Care Center Orientations:
As a new applicant wishing to open and operate a licensed child care center you must attend an orientation session offered by the MSDE Office of Child Care (OCC).

Regulation Review for Child Care Centers (Director’s Training):
As a new Center Director, you are required by COMAR 13A.16.06.05B (5) to attend a Director/Regulation training session within six month after being hired as the director of the facility. 

Family Child Care Regulation Review:
Regulation review for currently registered Family Child Care Providers - Because of limited space you must call 410.750.8771 to register to attend.  The orientations dates are as follows:

Round Tables

Family Child Care - Monday, September 18, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Child Care Centers - Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

*****All dates and location are subject to change*****