Child Care - Child Abuse and Neglect - Training Requirements
Summary
HB1034 requires child care providers and staff in regulated child care settings to complete training on the identification, prevention, detection, and reporting of child abuse and neglect. The bill applies to providers in registered family child care homes, registered large family child care homes, and licensees and staff of child care centers. It requires the training to be completed within six months of employment and every two years thereafter for most providers, with a special transition deadline for individuals already working on July 1, 2026. The Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Development must also receive annual certification from each child care entity that its providers are in compliance.
The bill also expands existing child abuse reporting law by adding child care providers to the definition of “educator or human service worker” under the Family Law Article, which makes them mandatory reporters when they have reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected. It further amends child care regulations to require child abuse detection and reporting instruction for family child care providers within 90 days of registration and annually thereafter, and for child care center licensees and staff within 90 days of starting employment and annually thereafter. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB1034 changes both the Education Article and the Family Law Article by imposing new training, certification, and reporting obligations on regulated child care providers and child care entities. It creates enforcement consequences for noncompliance, including corrective action plans, suspension or termination of employment, and possible suspension or revocation of a provider’s or entity’s license or registration. The bill also strengthens Maryland’s mandatory reporting framework by expressly including child care providers among professionals required to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support. It passed the House unanimously on third reading, 128-0, and the committee report was favorable with amendments. The available record does not show organized opposition or divided debate, suggesting general agreement with the goal of improving child abuse awareness and reporting in child care settings.
Contention
No major points of contention are reflected in the available materials. The main policy choices in the bill are the scope of who must be trained, how often training must be repeated, and the penalties for noncompliance. Any potential concern would likely center on administrative burden for child care providers and licensing consequences for entities, but the voting record and committee status indicate those issues did not generate visible opposition in the available record.