New Regulations

Developmental Screening

On Track: All Aboard for Developmental Progress
Maryland’s Early Care & Education Developmental Screening Program

In July of 2016, a regulation will take effect that will require all licensed early care and education programs (child care centers and family child care home providers) to conduct developmental screening on children aged birth through five years. The initial cost for the developmental screening tool chosen by the child care facility will be covered by MSDE.

As part of Project 7 in Maryland’s Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant, this project aims to address the health and behavioral needs of children through a system of early detection, prevention, and intervention programs. Part of this system is early detection through developmental screening. Each day child care professionals observe the children in their care for developmental milestones to better plan activities and learning opportunities. Using a recognized, validated developmental screening tool helps parents and providers in identifying strengths and potential areas where additional resources and a referral may be needed. MSDE identified the following developmental screening tools that would meet the regulation requirements:

• Ages & Stages Questionnaires Third Edition (ASQ-3)
• Best Beginnings Developmental Screen
• Brigance Early Childhood Screen III,
• Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning Fourth Edition (DIAL-4)
• Early Screening Inventory—Revised 2008 Edition(ESI-R)

MSDE provided samples of the tools listed for review at each of the Child Care Resource and Referral Offices. Providers will be able to access free online training on developmental screening and apply for the tool they choose to use in their program through an online application. For more information on training and application for one free screening tool, please click the link below.
Click Here to view a FAQ on Developmental Screening
Click Here to view Tool Comparison Chart
Click Here to view Referral Form
Click Here to access information on training and applying for a developmental screening tool.

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All Cribs Must be Compliant with the New Regulations or Replaced by December 31, 2012.

Beginning December 28, 2012, any crib provided by child care facilities and family child care homes must meet new and improved federal safety standards. The new standards take effect for manufacturers, retailers, importers and distributors on June 28, 2011, addressing deadly hazards previously seen with traditional drop-side rails, requiring more durable hardware and parts and mandating more rigorous testing.

What you should know…

• This is more than a drop side issue. Immobilizing your current crib will not make it compliant.
• You cannot determine compliance by looking at the product.
• The new standards apply to all full-size and non full-size cribs including wood, metal and stackable cribs.
• If you purchase a crib prior to the June 28, 2011 effective date and you are unsure it meets the new federal standard, CPSC recommends that you verify the crib meets the standard by asking for proof.
  • Ask the manufacturer, retailer, importer or distributor to show a Certificate of Compliance. The document must:
    • Describe the product
    • Give name, full mailing address and telephone number for importer or domestic manufacturer
    • Identify the rule for which it complies (16 CFR 1219 or 1220)
    • Give name, full mailing address, email address and telephone number for the records keeper and location of testing lab
    • Give date and location of manufacture and testing
  • The crib must also have a label attached with the date of manufacture

What you should do…

• All child care facilities, family child care homes, and places of public accommodation:
  • Must prepare to replace their current cribs with new, compliant cribs before December 28, 2012.
  • Should not resell, donate or give away a crib that does not meet the new crib standards.
• Dispose of older, noncompliant cribs in a manner that the cribs cannot be reassembled and used.
• Noncompliant cribs should not be resold through online auction sites or donated to local thrift stores. CPSC recommends disassembling the crib before discarding it.

Download Guide to New Crib Standards here. For details contact your specialist.

The MSDE Division of Early Childhood Development has completed the new Social Foundations Framework. This will replace the Personal Social Domain found in the MMSR Framework. Click here to view the standards.