GoFCC family‑child‑care program briefed to subcommittee; pilot reports 88 new licensed providers opening 630 slots

Maryland Family Network and its Child Care Resource Center partners briefed the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee on the Growing Opportunities for Family Child Care (GoFCC) program, a statewide replication of a Montgomery County model designed to increase licensed family child‑care capacity and business sustainability.

Executive Director Laura Wheeldreier said the program began in Montgomery County and has been replicated through planning and implementation grants administered in coordination with the Maryland State Department of Education. Lacey Eidman (Maryland Child Care Resource Network) described three core pathways: a startup/licensure pathway that expedites license processing, a business sustainability pathway that provides All Our Kin business training and coaching, and a quality improvement pathway aligned to Maryland EXCELS and national accreditation.

Program outcomes: Eidman reported that between January 2023 and January 2024 the statewide GoFCC rollout enrolled 319 participants, 88 of whom received licensure and opened 630 child‑care slots; 36 participants were awaiting licensing decisions and about 70 were in progress. She said the expedited pathway has cut average licensure time from about 12 months to roughly six months for many participants and that the program supplies free training, coaching, laptops, scanning equipment, childcare management software subscriptions, and membership to the National Association for Family Child Care.

Business and quality results: The business sustainability pathway has 100 graduates (99 remain open). Graduates reported improved outcomes: 76% increased revenue, 75% reached enrollment capacity, 54% reported paying themselves a living wage, and 68% reinvested savings into their operations. MFN crosswalked GoFCC work to Maryland EXCELS and national accreditation and reported measurable improvements in credential levels and EXCELS ratings among participants.

Independent review and next steps: MFN engaged Child Trends for an independent evaluation; the first phase of analysis was due in February to provide descriptive program data and recommendations. Presenters asked the committee to identify additional data needs and expressed willingness to provide follow‑up material.

Committee response: Members welcomed the results and expressed concerns about budget constraints; the chair reiterated budget pressures but said the committee would try to preserve priorities where possible.