Wait List Application

Please read these instructions thoroughly before completing the application.

Apply for the waitlist

Application Instructions


Please print or type all information clearly.
Submit one Preliminary Application for each child care slot you are requesting.

Child’s Name:

A Preliminary Application may be submitted for an unconceived child or for an unborn child. To apply for an unconceived child, print unconceived after “Child’s Name:” and unknown after “Birth Date”. To apply for an unborn child, print conceived after “Child’s Name:” and the expected date of birth after “Birth Date”.

Provide your child’s legal name. Do not include nicknames.

Birth Date:

Provide the month, date, and year of your child’s birth.

Parent’s Name(s):

Provide only the name of the parent/guardian or the names of the parents/guardians having legal custody of the child.

Mailing Address:

Provide a complete mailing address.

Telephone Numbers:

Office hours for the Children’s Center are from 7:30 am – 3:30 pm. Telephone numbers should be numbers which can be called during these business hours.

Provide home and work/school telephone numbers for each parent/guardian. Include area codes if you reside outside of Maine.

Telephone numbers of relatives or friends should be provided after “Other Telephone Numbers:” if either parent/guardian is typically hard to contact by phone.

UMaine Status:

Check the appropriate description for each parent’s University of Maine status.

Applicants for a childcare slot must be University of Maine (Orono) employees or students at the time childcare services are provided. Priority is granted to full-time University of Maine (Orono) employees and students.

If there is no University affiliation at the time of application, but affiliation is anticipated, check “future UM student” status and include the anticipated start date/s.

Please Note:

  • Your Preliminary Application will be dated with the date on which it arrives at the UM Children’s Center.
  • Each family submitting a Preliminary Application will be mailed a verification of receipt.
  • All applicants are responsible for updating information contained on the original Preliminary Application, including dates of birth, addresses, and phone numbers.
  • Actual positions on the Wait List cannot be determined until specific child care openings occur

Evaluation of vacant child care slots

Each child care slot is re-evaluated at the time of each new vacancy. This re-evaluation determines whether the slot will be offered to a currently enrolled client or to a Wait List Applicant.


Wait List Review

After the above evaluation has taken place and the determination has been made to fill the vacancy with a Wait List applicant, Preliminary Applications are reviewed.


Prioritizing Eligible Applicants

Children will be served in chronological order of application date for service.
Priority for private purchased child care slots is granted in order of priority as follows:
1 families in which at least one parent or legal guardian is a full-time University of Maine (Orono) student (undergraduate – 12 credits or more per semester, graduate – 6 credits or more per semester) or a full-time regular University of Maine employee
2 families in which at least one parent or legal guardian is a part-time University of Maine (Orono) student (undergraduate – less than 12 credits per semester, graduate – less than 6 credits per semester) or a part-time regular University of Maine (Orono) employee
Part-time students enrolled in day-time courses will be given priority over part-time students enrolled in evening courses.


Contact Process

A preliminary applicant will be notified by telephone regarding a child care opening. It is the responsibility of the applicant to keep all information on a preliminary application updated!
At least three attempts will be made to contact an applicant within two business days. Messages will be left on telephone answering machines when available; and, other telephone numbers listed on the Preliminary Application will be called in attempts to contact the applicant. If an applicant cannot be contacted by telephone during this period of time, contact with the next applicant on the Wait List will be initiated.


Inactive File

Applications containing disconnected telephone numbers and/or discontinued mailing addresses will be placed in an inactive file. Applications placed in this file will not be considered for future child care vacancies unless updated information is provided by the applicant. Outdated applications will be retained in the Inactive File for a six (6) month period of time, after which, the outdated application will be removed and discarded.
If updated information is provided by an applicant with an application in the Inactive File prior to the six month expiration date, the Preliminary Application may be returned to the active Wait List with the original date of application remaining in effect.


Refusal to Accept a Child Care Vacancy

Upon refusing to accept a child care opening, an applicant may request the return of their Preliminary Application to the Wait List. At this time, the original date of application will be replaced with the date the child care opening was refused.
Preliminary Applications will be removed from the Wait List in the event an applicant refuses three (3) child care openings. Applicants may request and submit new Preliminary Applications at any time in the future.


Acceptance of a Child Care Vacancy

After a preliminary applicant has expressed interest in a child care opening, eligibility for the vacancy must be determined by a review of the information contained on the Preliminary Application. Once eligibility has been determined, the applicant may be provided up to 24 hours in which to formally decide to accept the vacancy. A deposit equal to a one week child care fee assessment will be required within 48 hours after verbal acceptance of the vacancy.


Supplemental Child Care Funding Sources

ASPIRE/TANF Assistance:  If you participate in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services TANF program, you should contact your case worker for information concerning child care funding assistance.
Voucher(s): Contact your local DHHS office or your current DHHS case worker for information on the child care voucher program.