For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 6, 2021 

Tomorrow, Montgomery County officials will join community organizations across the country in observing Child Care Provider Appreciation Day to celebrate the efforts of local child care providers in a year of tremendous challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Child Care Provider Appreciation Day is celebrated each year on the Friday before Mother’s Day to recognize the tireless efforts of providers who care for the children of working parents. In Montgomery County, there are 1,271 licensed child care programs, including 789 that are family child care operations and 482 centers and faith-based organizations. These programs serve an estimated 40,000 Montgomery County children.

“This year, Child Care Provider Appreciation Day takes on even greater significance,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Long before the pandemic, we recognized our child care providers as essential, and the past year has further highlighted the critical role they play in our community. We owe a huge debt of gratitude for their sacrifices and will continue to do everything we can to support them as we move towards recovery.”

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, child care providers offered resources and supports to families during a traumatic time. They have provided families with safe, healthy, nurturing spaces where children can feel protected, eat healthy meals, grow, and learn. Additionally, providers have often stepped in to support school-age children in remote learning situations, doing all they can to provide space and supports for school-aged children.

Recognizing the tremendous hardships created by the pandemic, Montgomery County has provided much needed relief to child care providers, including:

• In the early stages of the pandemic when only approved programs serving essential personnel were open, the County provided supplemental tuition to cover the cost of child care.
  
  
• With 64 percent of regulated child care programs closed due to the pandemic, $10 million was provided to help offset financial losses caused by COVID-19 and assist with reopening expenses.
  
  
• A secondary appropriation of $1.8 million was approved to support reopening for full-day, school-age child care services located in Montgomery County Public School buildings, as well as $5.6 million in tuition assistance for full-day, school-age child care services.
  
  
• As child care programs began to slowly reopen over the summer, the County provided free personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies to support the health and safety of children and adults in child care settings.

“Early care and education have been pivotal and necessary component of our economy; during the pandemic, this sector has continued to play a key role in providing families the support they need. It hasn’t been easy for our provider community, but we are grateful for their work and collaboration to reopen and stay open safely,” said Councilmember Nancy Navarro. “As we move toward our recovery and reopening efforts, it will be critical that a healthy, stable childcare system is ready when an entire workforce resumes in-person operations. We must continue to build on our Early Care and Education Initiative efforts to ensure that quality, accessible, and affordable early care and education remains at the top of our agenda and our childcare providers receive the support they need.”

Join in tomorrow’s virtual celebration on social media by using the hashtag #ThankYouChildCare and thank your child care provider by acknowledging how they have gone above and beyond.

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Media Contact: Mary Anderson, mary.anderson@montgomerycountymd.gov