MD Childcare Providers Win Breakthrough

Almost 6,000 family childcare providers in Maryland won a major breakthrough this month when Gov. Martin O'Malley signed an executive order that will give providers the chance to vote to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Kids First. "With a united voice for all Maryland providers, we can make child care work better for everyone," said Donita Dennis, a childcare provider in Baltimore County. Family childcare providers like Dennis say they are joining together in SEIU Kids First so they can work with the state to improve Maryland's child care system and make sure providers can keep providing the high-quality care Maryland kids need and parents rely on. Next month, childcare providers will cast their votes in a mail ballot election.