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OCFS home > Early Childhood > Child Care and Head Start > Provider Information > Accreditation > Quality Certificates

Quality Certificates

The Office of Child Care and Head Start offers Quality Certificates to child care programs who meet one of the following criteria:

A child care center or home that is accredited by the following accreditation agencies and/or reviewed by Head Start Performance Standards:

  • National Association for the Education of Young Children - Center-based Care
  • National Association of Family Child Care - Family Child Care
  • National After School Association
  • National Head Start Performance Standards - Programs of Excellence and Quality as evidenced by a certificate issued within the past three years by the Administration for Children and Families - New England Office
  • American Montessori Society

Family child care providers will also be considered to be providing quality child care services if they have a:

  • Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, or an Associates, Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. degree in Early Childhood Education, child development, or related degree.
  • Providers with related degrees will need 12 credits in Early Childhood Education.
  • Providers with degrees will need a 3-credit course or 45 hours of Core Knowledge Training every 3 years to have their Quality Certificate renewed.
  • Child care licensing staff will complete a "quality checklist" of the homes requesting to be listed as "quality programs" at their next site visit.

The Maine legislature passed a law that expands the income tax credit for child care expenses. A Maine taxpayer who enrolls a child in a child care center or home with a Quality Certificate is eligible for a double child care tax credit on their state income tax return. Currently an individual is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due in the amount of 25% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care. In the new law, this credit doubles in amount if the child care expenses were incurred through the use of quality child care. The credit may result in a refund of up to $500.

View a list of programs meeting the Quality Certificate requirements.

If you need more information about Quality certificates or an application, call 207-287-5099.

Request an application or download the application External site disclaimer and mail it in with the appropriate documentation.