There are many resources available to assist you with caring for your child.
The informational links below can help you find appropriate child care and early intervention resources for young children that have, or may have a disability.
By identifying a child’s needs early in life you may be able to lessen the effects of a disability or delay by accessing early intervention programs, services, education, and supports.
The links below also provide articles and fact sheets to learn more about your child’s specific disability, parenting skills, and can help you choose nearby child care programs.
The websites listed below are available to help you find child care in Baltimore and surrounding areas for young children that may or may not have developmental disabilities.
Abilities Network: Child Care Resource Centers
To better support local child care providers in the Baltimore County area, the Abilities Network established a Child Resource Center at the Towson office. Harford and Cecil County Child Resource Center locations are temporarily located in the Towson office.
Adventures in Parenting
Try RPM3—a no-frills approach to parenting from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). RPM3 stands for: Responding to your child in an appropriate manner; Preventing risky behavior or problems before they arise; Monitoring your child’s contact with his or her surrounding world; Mentoring your child to support and encourage desired behaviors; Modeling your own behavior to provide a consistent, positive example for your child. It is designed for parents of every background, from first-time parents to grandparents, so that anyone who interacts with children can benefit from this valuable information.
Family Navigator Services
Any parent or caregiver can call their local Family Navigator to request assistance for their child, aged 0–21 years, with mental health, substance use and/or other behavioral health challenges. There is no cost for Family Navigation Services
Maryland Family Network: Choosing Child Care for Children with Special Needs
Maryland Family Network provides a step-by-step guide, A Parent’s Guide to Choosing Child Care: Special Needs Enhanced Service, assisting parents and guardians in choosing the best child care services for their family.
Maryland Family Network: LOCATE: Child Care
LOCATE: Child Care is a service of Maryland Family Network. Parents can search and select the best child care services, after-school activities, and resources across the state through an online search or telephone by requesting the assistance of the Child Care Referral Specialist.
PACT
PACT operates two unique child care programs, World of Care and Therapeutic Nursery, to serve young children and families from Baltimore City and the surrounding areas.
Listed below is a compilation of early intervention resources including programs, services, education, and supports.
Head Start
Head Start programs include Early Head Start, ages 0-3, and Head Start, ages 3-5. Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families. Use this resource to find a Head Start Center in your community.
Maryland's Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education
This resource provides a list of programs and services offered by the state Department of Education for children birth through five (5) years.
Maryland State Department of Education: Child Find
If you suspect that your child has a developmental delay or disability, start with calling your local school system Child Find office for children ages three (3) through twenty (21) years. From there, children can receive screening services to identify any areas of concern for further assessment by a multidisciplinary team.
Maryland State Department of Education: Family Support Services
This resource provides helpful family support directories and publications for families of children with disabilities, birth through twenty-one (21) years.
Maryland State Department of Education: Local Infant and Toddler Programs
Find Infant and Toddler Programs throughout Maryland, arranged by county for children birth through five (5) years.
Resource Guide: Early Screening of Children for Developmental Delays
Developed by the Community and Professional Developmental Training Program, Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute.