Nearly 500,000 children under age 5 need child care so their parents can reliably participate in the workforce and financially support their families. Child care provides not only peace of mind to working parents but an opportunity for young children to develop, grow and learn. Research indicates that access to high-quality child care increases the likelihood that children enter school ready to succeed and their parents remain employed.
Pennsylvania’s child care system should strive to meet the comprehensive needs of children and working parents, yet 61 percent of the state’s regulated child care capacity fails to meet high-quality standards. Children living in low-income families are oftentimes eligible for child care subsidies (Child Care Works) that help their parents afford the high cost of child care and reliably participate in the workforce but nearly 71 percent of eligible children are unserved due to lack of adequate public investments. And, more than 65 percent of children receiving subsidies are attending a program that has not met high-quality standards.
Want to learn more about child care in your community? Click on the map and find information about the need for child care and the opportunity children, including those who are eligible for Child Care Works, have in your county, state House or state Senate district. You can also learn more about local providers and print local fact sheets.
