My Child Care DC is an online resource for exploring licensed child care providers throughout the District in one place. It’s free to use and available in multiple languages. Using My Child Care DC, families can explore child care facilities, compare options with ease and connect with high-quality care. Watch this video to learn more.

Families can use My Child Care DC to search for child development facilities that are licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Child development facilities in DC must be licensed by OSSE in order to serve families. Facilities that are licensed by OSSE have demonstrated they meet the standards for care established in OSSE’s child care licensing regulations, which include health and safety, staff training and other requirements. All facilities listed on My Child Care DC have demonstrated that they meet these standards.

Some types of early care and education services do not have to undergo this licensing process. These include public and public charter school pre-K programs and private schools that provide pre-K as part of an elementary school serving students in at least one grade K-5. (More information on pre-K programs in public and public charter schools in DC can be found on My School DC.) Similarly, care provided in a child’s own home, parent-led play groups, nanny shares and occasional child care, such as babysitting or child care during religious services, do not need to abide by the licensing regulations. Additionally, facilities that provide only before- or after-care or summertime educational services for children age 5 and older, or classes and activities such as music or dance for children, are not licensed in the same way as child development facilities. A full list of early care and education services that do not require a license can be found here.

Only licensed child development facilities in DC are included on My Child Care DC. You can search for child care using the name of the facility, address or ZIP code. You can also search based on features that are important to you and your family such as hours or operation, language spoken or if the facility accepts child care subsidies.

The DC Child Care Subsidy Program helps eligible DC families pay for the cost of child care. To receive child care subsidies, a family must complete an application and submit supporting documentation. The application is used to determine a family’s eligibility based on factors such as need, income and family size. Most families qualify for child care subsidies by meeting income requirements to participate in the program and demonstrating a need for child care while the child’s parent(s) or caregiver is working or attending school. Children may also qualify by meeting other criteria, such as children experiencing homelessness or in foster care. For additional information on eligibility criteria, and how to apply, click here.

Families who receive child care subsidies can choose from a wide range of licensed child development facilities that accept subsidies. While using My Child Care DC to search for child care, you can see in a facility’s profile if it accepts child care subsidies, or customize your search to focus on only those programs that accept child care subsidies.

To submit a complaint about a child development facility, please call the Complaint and Unusual Incidents Hotline at (202) 727-2993 or send an email to [email protected]. Complaints may also be faxed to the Licensing and Compliance Unit at (202) 727-7295. This contact information can be used to submit complaints for any matter related to a child development facility, including complaints related to child development facility compliance with licensing regulations; child, staff or facility safety concerns; or subsidized child care eligibility services.

A child development center is based in a non-residential property. Examples of a child development center include preschools, nursery schools and before- and after-school programs. The number of children a child development center can serve is based on the center’s size and number of staff. A child development home provides care in the provider’s home and can serve up to six children. Expanded child development homes are also located in the provider’s home but can serve up to 12 children.

Please see OSSE’s website for more information about the licensing process and requirements for child development providers, including background checks.

Click here for an aggregate, annual report of all child deaths and serious injuries occurring in a child development facility in the District. This report also includes instances of child abuse in child development facilities that OSSE has investigated and confirmed. Every child development facility profile on My Child Care DC includes information about substantiated complaints and findings from investigations for that facility.

Capital Quality is the District’s Quality and Improvement Rating System (QRIS). It allows families to review and compare the quality of programs throughout the District and make informed decisions about where to enroll their child. Participation in Capital Quality is mandatory for child development facilities that participate in the DC Child Care Subsidy Program (unless the facility offers only out-of-school-time [OST] services) and voluntary for all other facilities. Child development facilities that participate in Capital Quality are measured and assessed on how well they provide age-appropriate activities, supportive learning environments and warm, nurturing interactions with children. Based on this evaluation, facilities receive a Capital Quality designation of Preliminary, Developing, Progressing, Quality or High-quality. Click here for more information on Capital Quality and what the designations mean.

Only child development facilities that participate in the DC Child Care Subsidy Program (e.g., facilities that accept child care subsidies) are required to participate in Capital Quality (unless the facility offers only OST services). Child development facilities that do not accept child care subsidies may participate in Capital Quality but are not required to do so.

Strong Start provides early intervention services and supports for children birth to age 3 and their families who are District residents. Eligibility is based on an evaluation of the child’s developmental needs conducted by an early intervention specialist. Families who are found eligible receive early intervention services and supports at no cost, regardless of their income, insurance, legal or employment status. Families, caregivers, health care providers, such as a pediatrician, or other community members who have questions or concerns about the development of a child who is younger than the age of 3 can submit a referral to Strong Start. Visit eip.osse.dc.gov or call (202) 727-3665 to submit a referral.

The District of Columbia Public Schools’ (DCPS’) Early Stages program provides free intervention services to eligible children from 2 years 8 months to 5 years 10 months who go to a DC public school, are home-schooled or have not yet entered the school system. Families with concerns about development for a child ages 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 10 months, and who are not enrolled in a charter school, should contact DCPS for an evaluation. Visit earlystagesdc.org or call (202) 698-8037 to submit a referral.

My Child Care DC data is updated in real-time. You can find inspection reports in a facility's profile in the "Inspection Reports" section.

All licensed facilities are inspected at least twice a year; one announced and scheduled inspection and one unannounced and unscheduled inspection. My Child Care DC maintains inspection reports for three years. For example, if you visit a profile for a facility that has been open more than three years in February 2024, you will find inspection reports dating back to February 2022. Facilities that are more recently opened may have fewer reports available.

Employees and volunteers working in licensed child care facilities in the District of Columbia must follow the background check process as outlined and posted on the OSSE website.

Early learning professionals who are District residents working at child development facilities outside of the District, such as in Maryland or Virginia, must obtain a District of Columbia criminal background check and sex offender registry (SOR) through the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department.

This record will contain a listing only of adult convictions for which the sentence was completed not more than 10 years before the date on which the records were requested and forfeitures of collateral in a court proceeding that have occurred not more than 10 years before the date on which the record was requested.

Individuals can make a background check in person or via mail.

Making a Background Check Request in Person

To request records in person, you must make an appointment. Click here to make an appointment.

To make a request, you will need one of the following:

• • Driver’s License
• • Non-Driver ID
• • Original Birth Certificate AND Social Security Card

There is a $7 fee (cash or money orders only, payable to DC Treasurer; no credit cards or personal checks) to obtain these records.
On the day of your appointment, report to:
Metropolitan Police Department
Criminal History Section
441 4th St. NW, Room 550 South
Washington, DC 20001

Making a Background Check Request Via Mail

To obtain a background check via mail:

Send a notarized letter requesting a background check to:
Metropolitan Police Department
Criminal History Section
441 4th St. NW, Room 550 South
Washington, DC 20001

The letter must include the following information:

• • Full Name
• • Date of Birth
• • Social Security Number
• • Self-addressed Stamped Envelope
• • $7 Money Order payable to the DC Treasurer (checks not accepted)

The letter must be notarized by a Notary Public prior to mailing. Please allow six weeks for processing from the date the request is made. For more information or additional assistance, contact (202) 727-4245.

Federal law states that anyone working in a child care program as an employee or volunteer, who cares for or supervises children or with unsupervised access to children is required to undergo a background check which includes a criminal check and a child abuse and neglect check.

The child abuse and neglect check process for employees and volunteers of child development facilities in the District is as follows:

• • Employees and volunteers working in licensed child development facilities in the District of Columbia must request a child abuse and neglect check for the District of Columbia, the state where they currently reside and every state where they have resided over the past five years.
• • In the District of Columbia, the process for child protection register (CPR) check requests is fully electronic. There is no fee required. Applications and current government-issued photo IDs, which include the applicant’s date of birth, must be submitted online by using the DC Human Resources (DCHR) CPR Form:
  dcgov.seamlessdocs.com/f/dchr_cpr_form.
• • Click here to request a Maryland Child Protective Services Background/Adam Walsh Background Clearance Request.
• • Click here to request a Virginia Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry clearance.

An applicant may appeal their CPR results. To appeal, the applicant must follow the appeal process for the jurisdiction in which they are listed on the registry. The applicant’s suitability determination case will be closed and the original decision will remain final unless the applicant receives a new CPR result. To request a fair hearing to appeal a CPR result in the District of Columbia, contact Tamara Rutland, Fair Hearings Coordinator, between 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at (202) 724-3748, (202) 213-9590 or [email protected].

For questions, call (202) 727-8885 or email [email protected]. Calls and emails will be monitored and responded to within 24 hours or the next business day.