Thrive By 5 MoCo Resources
Explore the list of programs and services that support children from birth through age 5 in Montgomery County. Browse the full list of resources or use the buttons below to filter by your child’s age or the type of resource you need. You can select or deselect multiple filters at the same time. To reset the filters and your search, select the “Clear All” button.
For other types of local resources, visit the infoMONTGOMERY directory.
Click here to learn more about our types of resources.
Age of Child:
Type of Resource:
Babies Born Healthy
Babies Born Healthy supports eligible Black or African American pregnant individuals who receive Medicaid and live in the Downcounty region of Montgomery County. Families receive care coordination, prenatal education, and connections to resources that help support healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.
Individuals from the following zip codes are eligible: 20903, 20904, and 20906
Care for Kids
Care for Kids is a health care program that provides access to health care services for uninsured children in Montgomery County. Pediatric care includes well child visits, sick visits, prescription medicines, optometry, dental, and other limited specialty care services.
Eligibility:
- Child must be uninsured
- Child must be a Montgomery County resident
- Ages newborn through 18
- Family income no greater than 250% of the Federal Poverty Level
Child Care Scholarship (CCS)
The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program helps income-eligible families in Maryland pay for high-quality child care and early care and education programs. Once enrolled, scholarship payments are paid directly to a qualified child care provider.
Special note: Since May of 2025, the Child Care Scholarship Program has instituted an enrollment freeze and has created a waitlist of interested families. Some families are not subject to the freeze. Families should still apply, as new families are being served from the waitlist. Learn more about the enrollment freeze here.
Eligibility:
- A child who is younger than 13, or
- An individual 13-19 years old who has a qualifying disability.
- A Maryland resident who is working/employed, in an approved training program, or attending school. For families where both parents live within the same household, both parents must meet all eligibility requirements.
- A recipient of Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or within CCS income guidelines.
- Willing to have your child immunized to Maryland state standards or provide documentation supporting exemption from immunization.
- Willing to provide proof that each child needing child care is a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien. (Provide a birth certificate for each child or documentation that certifies the child's status.) Note: Parents are not required to be citizens of the United States.
- Willing to provide proof of identity for all members within the household composition. (Proof of identity for the parent can be any form of a government-issued document. The birth certificate or immigration status documentation can serve as proof of identity for each child in the household composition.)
- Willing to provide a photo I.D. (Only required of the head of households.)
Child Care Support Services
Child Care Support Services' Family Supports, a program of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, utilizes multilingual Family Resource Specialists to provide personalized consultation to help families connect with family- and child-centered resources in Montgomery County.
Child Find
Child Find provides free developmental screenings for children from age 3 until Kindergarten.
EquiCare
The EquiCare Grant offers free child care for income-eligible families with infants and toddlers. This grant can be found at participating child care programs.
Eligibility:
- Are a Montgomery County resident
- Child is between 6 weeks old and 4 years old
- Meet income guidelines
- Are not currently receiving scholarship or tuition assistance
- Are ineligible for the Maryland Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program or Montgomery County Working Parent Assistance (WPA) support
Family Discovery Center by JSSA (Patty Center)
The Family Discovery Center offers adult English literacy classes and child development programming for pregnant women and families with children up to age 4. Children learn and play while parents are in English as a Second Language (ESOL) class.
Family Involvement Center
The Family Involvement Center (FIC) is a free play-based program in an early childhood classroom setting for children of all abilities from birth to age 5. FIC’s Parent Educator team collaborates with parents and caregivers using play to build on parenting strengths while enhancing the development of all children.
Locations:
- Rockville: 1401 Rockville Pike, 2nd Floor; Rockville, MD 20852
- Gaithersburg: 18100 Washington Grove Lane; Gaithersburg, MD 20877
- Silver Spring: 2450 Lyttonsville Road; Silver Spring, MD 20910
Greater DC Diaper Bank
Diaper Need Hubs through the Greater DC Diaper Bank are community partners and basic need provider organizations that offer a place where families can get food and diapers at one location.
Head Start & Early Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start provide eligible families with free, high-quality early learning programs that support children's development and school readiness. Programs also offer health, nutrition, and family support services for pregnant women and children from birth through age 5.
There are several Head Start and Early Head Start options available in Montgomery County, each serving different ages and program models.
- MCPS Head Start provides free preschool for eligible 4-year-olds.
- CentroNía and Easterseals offer Early Head Start services for eligible pregnant women, infants, and toddlers (birth to age 3).
- The Montgomery County Birth to Five Head Start Community-Based Model (coming soon) provides Head Start and Early Head Start services through participating community-based child care programs for eligible children from birth through age 5.
- The Head Start & Early Head Start Locator helps families explore all Head Start and Early Head Start programs available in Montgomery County and nationwide.
Healthy Families Montgomery
Healthy Families Montgomery is a free, voluntary home visiting program offered by Sheppard Pratt for first-time parents. Families receive personalized support, parenting education, and connections to community resources from pregnancy until their child is up to 3 years old.
Imagination Library of Montgomery County, MD
Imagination Library provides free books to children in certain zip codes from birth until their 5th birthday. Each month a new book will arrive in the mail, allowing children to build their own personal libraries, regardless of family income.
Eligible zip codes in Montgomery County: 20850, 20851, 20876, 20877, 20886, 20879, 20895, 20901, 20902, 20903, 20904, 20906, 20910, and 20912.
Infant at Risk Home Visiting
The Infant at Risk Home Visiting Program provides personalized support for families with newborns who may have medical or social needs. Home visitors connect families with resources, offer guidance, and help support the health, development, and well-being of both parents and babies.
Families may be referred if they are experiencing:
- A high-risk pregnancy or birth
- A baby born prematurely or with a very low birth weight
- Limited or no prenatal care
- Mental or behavioral health concerns
- Substance use or recovery needs
- Housing instability or homelessness
- Intimate partner violence
- Teen pregnancy
- A previous infant loss or preterm birth
- Other circumstances that may impact the health and well-being of the parent or baby
Available support:
- Home visits from trained professionals
- Parenting education and support
- Child development guidance
- Connections to health care and community resources
- Care coordination for families with additional needs
LOCATE: Child Care
LOCATE: Child Care is Maryland Family Network’s free, confidential child care referral service to help families find regulated and high-quality child care that meets their needs. Families can search online or receive personalized support by phone, text, or email.
Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP)
The Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP) provides free coverage to eligible uninsured children whose family earns too much money to get Medicaid, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Your child may be eligible for Medicaid or MCHP, even if you are not.
To be eligible for the Maryland Children's Health Program, a child must:
- Live in Maryland.
- Be a U.S. Citizen or a qualified non-citizen – see Immigration Status Requirements and exceptions.
- Be under 19 years old.
- Not have other health insurance.
- Meet the income limit for your household size.
- Provide or apply for a Social Security number.
The resources presented on this page are not an exhaustive list. More resources will be added in the future. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Resources to Support Children and Families
Thrive By 5 MoCo is a centralized resource hub created to help families with children – from birth to age 5 – easily understand, navigate, and access the programs and services available to them. Resources fall into one or more categories.
Child Care & Pre-K
Finding the right early learning program is an important step in your child’s development. These resources include information about child care and Pre-K options available in Montgomery County, from infant care through Pre-K. You’ll find resources to help you explore different program types, understand eligibility requirements, compare your options, and learn about financial assistance that can help make early care and education more affordable.
Family Supports
Raising a young child comes with many questions, and every family has different needs. These resources connect you to programs and services that support children and caregivers beyond child care. Whether you’re looking for parenting education, developmental supports, early intervention, libraries, playgroups, home visiting, or other community resources, these programs are designed to help your family thrive during the early years.
Financial Support
High-quality early care and education should be within reach for every family. These resources include scholarships, subsidies, and other financial assistance programs that can help reduce the cost of child care, Pre-K, health care, nutrition, and other essential services. You’ll also find resources to help you understand eligibility requirements and apply for available supports.
Health Services
Healthy children are better able to learn, grow, and thrive. These resources connect families to health care resources that support children from pregnancy through age 5, including health insurance programs, pediatric care, prenatal and postpartum services, developmental screenings, home visiting programs, and other health-related supports. Whether you’re looking for preventive care or specialized services, these resources can help support your family’s health and well-being.
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