In its latest report, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children found that under half of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds participate in publicly funded Pre-K, affecting more than 78,000 children. Only 25% of eligible children under age 3 are served by the subsidized child care program, known as Child Care Works.
That leaves another 73,000 eligible infants and toddlers unserved. At the root of the access gap is the workforce shortage, said Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children CEO and President Kari King, resulting in classrooms unable to be filled or opened altogether. Since 2019, there has been a net loss of more than 600 child care providers in Pennsylvania. At the same time, families need the services more than ever. For more than 70% of Pennsylvania families who have young children, every parent or guardian in the home works, leaving a need for child care.