Qualifications:
Head Teacher --13 - 24 children: Must be at least 21 with a high school diploma or equivalent and have 12 mos. employment in licensed child day care facility for 13 or more children; or 12 mos. experience as an operator of a program for 3 - 12 children (including as a family day care provider) and have 6 hours training in child care or early childhood education topics; or have 1 year (30 credit hours) college courses including 6 hours in field closely related to caring for children and 6 mos. experience or CDA.
Group Leader: Must be at least 18 and have a CDA; or 6 mos. working experience with a group of 13 or more children; or have 1 year (30 credits) college work in a child related field
Provider/Child Ratio:
| Age Range | Child:Staff Ratio/ Max Group Size |
| 6 weeks - 9 months | (4:1) 8 |
| 18 months | (5:1) (4:1) 10/12 |
| 27 months | (7:1) 21 |
| 3 years - 4 years | (10:1) (8:1) 20/24 |
| 5 years and older | (13:1) NR |
| Small Family Child Care Homes | State of Maine Ratios |
| Number of Children Allowed: |
3-12 (up to 8 preschool and 2 school-age children, |
| Maximum Number of Children to One Provider: |
4 younger than 30 months |
| Provider's Own Children Counted: |
No |
| Max Number of Infants/Toddlers to One Provider: |
4 younger than 30 months |
| Large Family Child Care Homes | State of Maine Ratios |
| Number of Children Allowed: |
No category of facility |
| Ratio of Children to One Provider: |
No category of facility |
| Provider's Own Children Counted: |
No category of facility |
Legal unlicensed Child Care:
Kith and Kin (family and friend) caregivers, are considered "legal-unlicensed" if they care for only one or two children in their home. Care for Me is a program of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care and Head Start, which performs background checks on legal unlicensed providers and maintains a database that is available to parents to verify the background of their Kith and Kin provider. The Care for Me network also provides information to Kith and Kin caregivers on child care health and safety issues.
Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Child Care Licensing Unit
41 Anthony Avenue, Station 11
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: (207) 287-9300
Fax: (207) 287-9257
Child Care Subsidy Agency
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Child Care and Head Start
11 State House Station
Marquardt Building
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
Phone: (207) 287-5014
Fax: (207) 287-5031
Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Office of Child Care and Head Start
Department of Human Services
11 State House Station, Marquardt Building
Augusta, ME, 04333-0011
Phone: (207) 287-5014
Fax: (207) 287-5031
Child Care Food Program Agency
Division of Contracted Community Services
Department of Health Human Services
State House, Station 11
221 State Street
Augusta, Maine 04333
Phone: (207) 287-5060
Fax: (207) 287-5031
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Maine's Network of Child Care Resource Development Centers
c/o Child Care Options
99 Western Avenue, Suite 6
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 626-3617 ext. 29
Toll Free: (888) 917-1100
Fax: (207) 626-3617
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery
Bureau of Family Indep.
Department of Health and Human Services
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0993
Phone: (800) 371-3101
Fax: (207) 287-2886