Terms Used In Maryland Code, EDUCATION 9.5-301

  • Adult: means an individual at least 18 years old. See
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Local department of social services: includes the Montgomery County government. See
  • Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Child care provider” means the adult who has primary responsibility for the operation of a family child care home or a large family child care home.

(c) “Direct Grant Fund” means the Family Child Care Provider Direct Grant Fund.

(d) “Family child care” means the care given to a child under the age of 13 years or to any developmentally disabled person under the age of 21 years, in place of parental care for less than 24 hours a day, in a residence other than the child’s residence, for which the child care provider is paid.

(e) “Family child care home” means a residence in which family child care is provided for up to eight children.

(f) “Family child care provider” means an individual who cares for children in a registered family child care home or a registered large family child care home.

(g) “Large family child care home” means a residence in which family child care is provided for at least nine children, but not more than 12 children.

(h) “Unregistered family child care home” means a residence in which family child care is provided and in which the child care provider:

(1) Has not obtained a certificate of registration from the Department;

(2) Is not related by blood or marriage to each child in the provider’s care;

(3) Is not a friend of each child’s parents or legal guardian and is providing care on a regular basis; and

(4) Has not received the care of the child from a child placement agency licensed by the Department of Human Services or by a local department of social services.