Maryland Family Network

A Simple and Intuitive Way to Find Childcare

Maryland Family Network

A simple and intuitive way to find childcare

The Problem

Maryland Family Network (MFN) provides resources for families to ensure their child's first five years are successful through the Division of Early Childhood.


LOCATE, its existing childcare search platform, had a few challenges:


Maryland Family Network (MFN) provides resources for families to ensure their child's first five years are successful through the Division of Early Childhood.


LOCATE, its existing childcare search platform, had a few challenges:



The family search site wasn't mobile-optimized, lacked provider pages, and had limited filters

Childcare desert visualizations were based on data as old as a year prior

Manually gathering data on family searches and provider gaps took hours every month

The Solution

Upfront and MFN collaborated to create a new LOCATE portal centered around ease of access, accurate information, and streamlined data.


Simple user experience: a seamless, mobile-friendly design. New filters for subsidy eligibility, special needs, and pricing

Accurate childcare desert maps: the first real-time gap visualizations in the country

Extensive, automated reports and dashboards showing family search behaviors, provider supply summaries

The Results

Upfront's new system quickly and dramatically improves ECE data access to families, providers, and advocates.


2.5x more families found childcare with the new LOCATE portal

6,400 individual provider pages created, creating a digital presence for 60% of Maryland's childcare programs

Talk to our team about bringing modern ECE data to your community

Talk to Us

Talk to our team about bringing modern ECE data to your community

Talk to Us

Talk to our team about bringing modern ECE data to your community

Talk to Us

Talk to our team about bringing modern ECE data to your community

Talk to Us