They have no standards to comply with. The state generally visits them only if a complaint is filed. In addition to day-care providers, Maine has about 280 nursery schools. Again, the schools are not inspected, but licensing workers will respond to complaints. Finally, there are a large number of unlicensed day-care providers operating both legally and illegally.
State law allows people to care for up to two unrelated children without state permission.
State officials estimate at least 50,000 children are in unregulated care. Such operations are potentially the most dangerous because unlicensed providers are an unknown quantity. There are no background criminal checks or state inspections. It will take a couple of years for the existing system to be phased out. Concannon says parents have the right to expect their children will not be abused or neglected in day care.