Early Care and Education Programming Overview
In addition to the regulated child care facilities, relative care providers, defined as grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings over 18, may provide care for three or fewer children. Relative care providers do not need to be certified by OCDEL; however, if relative providers are interested in participating in the Child Care Works (CCW) program, they must complete a State Police criminal history check, child abuse and federal criminal history clearances, and mandatory child abuse reporter training. Informal arrangements through friends or neighbors are another way families piece together child care in Pennsylvania. Individuals do not need to be certified by OCDEL if they provide care for three or fewer children not participating in the state’s subsidized child care program, CCW; however, if they wish to participate in CCW, they must be certified as a family child care home. There are other non-certified child care services in the state, including those providing child care during a religious service in a place of worship, a facility where the parent of the child is always present, a part-day, school-age program that operates less than 90 consecutive days, or a drop- in child care program. Child Care Works Pennsylvania provides child care subsidies through federally funded programs for families currently or formerly receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and for families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Additionally, subsidies are available for low-income, working families whose incomes are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, currently $53,000 for a family of
Certified and Non-Certified Child Care Programs
Child care certification is the term used for licensing child care programs in Pennsylvania. Child care providers operating a program for four or more unrelated children must be annually certified by OCDEL and maintain a certificate of compliance to operate within the commonwealth legally. OCDEL regulates three types of child care facilities to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations: • Child Care Centers are facilities with seven or more children unrelated to the operator providing the care. • Group Child Care Homes are facilities where 7-12 children, varying in ages, or 7-15 children from 4th grade through age 15, who are not related to the operator, receive care. • Family Child Care Homes are facilities located in a home in which 4-6 children who are not related to the caregiver receive child care.
August 2023
6
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker