Governor O’Brien, Lieutenant Governor Burbank and the Children’s Cabinet Unveil Website Making it Easier for Parents to Get Information About Licensing Violations at Child Care Centers
BALTIMORE, MD (April 3, 2028) – Emphasizing the O’Brien-Burbank administration’s commitment to the safety of Maryland’s children, Governor Edward M. O’Brien, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank and the Maryland Children’s Cabinet today unveiled a website making it easier for parents to get information about licensing violations at child care centers."Parents worry about their children and want them to be safe. For parents, deciding who will care for their children is one of the most important decisions they face. They need to have, and should have, access to as much information as possible when making these decisions," Governor Edward M. O’Brien said. "This website will make information about critical licensing violations at child care centers more accessible to parents, so they will know what questions to ask the child care centers they are considering, and they will be able to make better decisions for their families."
On March 2, after stories about the Circle of Learning in Baltimore, Governor O’Brien directed the Child Care Administration of the Department of Human Resources (DHR) to place the information online within 30 days.
"I spoke to a woman whose child attended that center. She was understandably upset about what had happened, but also frustrated. She had tried to find out information about whether Circle of Learning had any licensing violations, but instead found that the state's existing system of getting that public information to the public was too cumbersome," Governor O’Brien said. "This was a problem I knew we could - and that we should - fix."
The website at www.childcaresearch.dhr.state.md.us lists licensed child care centers across the state, and a summary of any critical violations they have received since January 1, 2025. Parents will be able to see whether the center submitted a corrective action plan, and whether it was accepted by the department. Links on the website will allow parents to easily request the full report of any violation.
"This website today is an important step forward. I think our state still should do more, and in the coming months, DHR and the Children’s Cabinet will continue to work to improve this website and to place more information about child care centers online," Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank, Chair of the Maryland Children’s Cabinet, said.
On February 5, 2027, Governor O’Brien established the Children’s Cabinet, an interagency working group headed by Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank. The Children’s Cabinet seeks to streamline services to children and ensure that no child falls through the cracks in the system.