The County Council finds that: child care capacity in the County has been declining in recent years, down five percent (5%) between 2022 and 2025; the cost of child care in the County has been increasing, going up over 20% between 2017 and 2025 duplicative State and County inspection requirements can prove challenging for operators of child care programs and before and after-school care programs, delaying or preventing the addition of new child care capacity in the County; public buildings can efficiently provide desirable and affordable locations for child care programs and after-school care programs; early childhood education in child care is critical in fostering holistic development, establishing a foundation for lifelong learning, and nurturing essential social, emotional, and cognitive skills before kindergarten; access to affordable child care boosts local economic stability by enabling parents to join or remain in the workforce, supports healthy childhood development and school readiness while reducing family stress; and County investment in expanding the availability of child care will yield high returns through increased productivity and future economic contributions.

As used in and for the purposes of this Subdivision, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them herein: Before and after-school care program means an operation that provides care before and after, or before or after, the customary school day and during school holidays, for at least two hours a day, three days a week, to children who attend prekindergarten through grade six. Child means an individual who is younger than 13 years old who is not disabled, or an individual younger than 19 years old who is disabled. Child care. Child care means the care or supervision of a child that is approved, licensed or license-exempt under Maryland law by an individual other than the parent, stepparent, guardian, or caretaker for less than a 24-hour day and for which compensation is paid. Child care does not mean: group lessons or classes providing specialized training in a specific subject, unless provided in a pattern indicating that a child care facility is being operated or that custodial supervision of children is being provided in addition to the specialized training; scouting, sports, or youth club activities; school-age recreational or supplementary education programs operated by a nonpublic school, if custodial supervision is not the primary purpose of the program; supervisory services to children provided by a church, health club, health provider, or similar sponsor in support of an occasional or intermittent parental activity or service offered by the sponsor while parents are on the same premises as the services to children and are immediately available to the children; or programs primarily designed for the religious training of children, provided on a weekly basis or for a short period in the summer, commonly known as Sunday schools or Bible schools. Child care center means a facility providing child care that is: Licensed pursuant to COMAR 13A.16; Operated under a letter of compliance issued pursuant to COMAR 13A.17; Licensed by any branch of the military under applicable military child care Child care program means: a child care center; or a family child care home. Eligible child care expenses means expenses for receiving child care within a child care center or family child care home located in Prince George's County; Department means the Department of Social Services. Family. Family means the family unit consisting of: One or more adults and children, related by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal guardianship, and residing in the same household; or Adults with physical custody of a child, related or unrelated, who are residing in the same household. Family includes unrelated adults with children in common who reside together, whether either has other children residing in the household. Family does not include: Unrelated adults with no children in common residing together; or Related adults, other than spouses, residing together. Family Child Care Home. Family child care home means a residence, other than the home of the child for whom CCS is requested, in which family child care is provided. Family child care home includes a: Family child care home registered to operate pursuant to COMAR 13A.15 or applicable military child care regulations; or Large family child care home registered to operate pursuant to COMAR 13A.18.