Child Care Assistance for Single Mothers in Maryland

Where to start

Start with your child’s age, your work or school schedule, and how soon you need care. A baby, toddler, preschooler, and school-age child may need different programs. If you need child care to keep work, attend class, or keep a training slot, CCS is usually the first program to check. If your child is three or four, also check Pre-K and Head Start. If your child is school-age, ask about before-school, afterschool, summer, and recreation programs.

For related benefit paths, use ASMOM’s child care help, Maryland TANF, Maryland SNAP, and Maryland WIC guides as backup while you apply.

Quick reference table

Maryland Child Care Scholarship

The CCS program helps eligible Maryland families pay child care costs. It can be used with participating providers, including some child care centers, family child care homes, and before- or after-school care. The scholarship is paid toward care, but you may still owe a family copay and any amount your provider charges above the state rate.

To qualify, you usually must live in Maryland, be working or in approved school or training, meet the income or benefit rule, and need care for a child under 13. A child ages 13 through 19 may qualify if the child has a qualifying disability and needs care. Maryland says the child must be a U.S. citizen or qualified noncitizen, but the parent does not have to be a U.S. citizen.

What the freeze means

Maryland’s CCS freeze started May 1, 2025. The state says new families may still apply. If you qualify, you may be placed on a frozen status list until funding opens. Families already receiving CCS can keep help if they remain eligible and complete renewal steps on time. Families receiving TCA, TANF, or SSI are not subject to frozen status, and families may request to add a new child to an active scholarship case.

Because program guidance can change, do not rely only on old Fast Track wording. Call CCS Central 2 at 1-877-227-0125 and ask whether you should complete the full application, a Fast Track screen, or both. If you receive TCA, ask your DSS case manager how the child care referral should be routed.

CCS income and rates

Maryland posts income rules in an official income chart. At the time this guide was reviewed, the chart showed these annual maximums for new applications and continuation cases. Always check the official chart before relying on a number.

The state also posts weekly scholarship rates by county, child age, provider type, and schedule type. Before you sign a child care contract, ask the provider for the full weekly price and compare it with the scholarship rate, your copay, registration fees, supply fees, and late pickup charges.

Public Pre-K and mixed-delivery Pre-K

If your child is three or four, Maryland Pre-K may be the strongest child care cost reducer. The state uses a mixed-delivery system, which means Pre-K may be in public schools, private child care centers, family child care homes, or Head Start partners. Your local school system can explain seats for your county, age rules, hours, and the application window.

Maryland’s Blueprint expands full-day Pre-K at no cost for three- and four-year-old children from families with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level. It also describes sliding-scale access for some four-year-olds from families between 300% and 600% FPL. Use the official Blueprint Pre-K page and the MSDE Pre-K contacts page to find your county office.

These figures use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and D.C. Pre-K offices decide how to count income and household members for their program, so ask before you assume you are over or under a limit.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start are free early learning programs for eligible families. Early Head Start may serve pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. Head Start usually serves preschool-age children. Programs may include meals, screenings, family support, and help connecting to other services.

Federal Head Start guidance says children from birth to age five from families with low income may qualify. Children in foster care, children experiencing homelessness, and children from families receiving TANF, SSI, or SNAP are categorically eligible. That does not guarantee an open seat. Programs use their own selection rules when there are more applicants than spaces.

Use the federal Head Start Locator or the Maryland Head Start directory to find programs near home, work, or school. Our Head Start guide can help you prepare questions.

County, TCA, and special-needs paths

Some child care help depends on where you live, whether you receive TCA or SSI, whether your child has a disability or developmental delay, and whether you are connected to school or job training.

Montgomery County WPA

Montgomery County has a county program called Working Parents Assistance. The official Montgomery WPA page says it helps eligible county residents pay for licensed child care while parents work, attend school, or attend training. It has its own income chart, document list, and application. Call 240-777-1177 before applying if your income is near the state CCS line.

TCA and child care

Maryland’s Temporary Cash Assistance program is the state TANF program for families with dependent children. DHS says families may also file an application for help with child care costs. If you are applying for TCA or already approved, ask your case manager for the CCS referral process and ask what proof of work, training, or job search is needed.

Children with disabilities or delays

If your child needs extra support, ask LOCATE for providers that can discuss your child’s needs. Also contact early intervention. The Infants and Toddlers referral site can help families with children who may have developmental delays or disabilities. For broader school and benefit support, ASMOM’s disability support guide may help.

How to find safe child care

Start with regulated care. The MSDE finding child care page points families to Maryland EXCELS, LOCATE, Head Start, and licensing tools. Use more than one source because provider openings change quickly.

• Search Maryland EXCELS for quality-rated programs and program details.
• Call or search LOCATE Child Care to find providers near your work, home, school, or bus route.
• Use Check Child Care to review license status, verified complaints, and inspection results.

Documents to gather before you apply

Missing documents are a common reason child care cases stall. Save clear photos or PDFs before you start the portal application.

If child care costs affect food, housing, legal needs, or child support, use ASMOM’s Maryland emergency help, Maryland housing help, legal help, and child support guides.

If you are denied, delayed, or overwhelmed

First, find out whether you were denied, placed on frozen status, missing documents, over income, or not meeting the activity rule. Those are different problems. A frozen status decision means you may be eligible but cannot receive a scholarship until funds open. A missing document problem may be fixable faster.

• Check your portal messages and save screenshots.
• Call CCS Central 2 and ask what exact item is missing.
• If you receive TCA, ask your DSS case manager to review the referral path.
• If your child has a disability, ask what proof is needed for care past age 13.
• If you lose hours or a job because of child care, ask about SNAP, TCA, job training, and emergency help.

Ask for written notice when possible. If a deadline is close, do not wait for one email. Call, upload proof, and ask how to appeal or correct the file. Our benefit problems guide can help you organize notices and next calls.