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Month: December 2025

News

December 8, 2025

OCDEL Creates Internal Evaluation Process for ECE Professionals with Foreign Degrees

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and The Pennsylvania Key have developed an initiative to support early childhood education professionals who obtained education outside of the United States by creating an internal process for foreign degree evaluations.

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The new resource will help to reduce administrative and financial burdens to early childhood education professionals and limit out-of-pocket expenses.

As of December 1, foreign degree evaluations for individuals applying for placement on OCDEL’s career pathway will occur seamlessly through services provided by education credential evaluators.

As part of the initiative, each applicant will receive support during the evaluation process with evaluators and have their documents linked in their Pennsylvania PD Registry account. This will allow applicants and other support teams to obtain evaluated educational documents as needed.

The service is available at no cost for the duration of the current fiscal year. After this fiscal year, the service will be available at a substantial discount. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences with OCDEL to help inform future implementation and improvements.

For applicants seeking reimbursement for previously evaluated documents, the foreign degree voucher program will continue reimbursements through December 31, after which all ECE Career Pathway applicants will be encouraged to seek evaluations through the new process.

More information can be found on the Pennsylvania Key’s internal education evaluation webpage. 

News

Support Our Work: Donate Before the End of the Year

When you donate to Trying Together, you become part of a community of supporters who value the work of early childhood. Your financial support ensures that Trying Together can continue to advocate for young children, develop community resources to help families thrive, and provide professional growth opportunities for educators.

As 2025 draws to a close, Trying Together needs your help reaching our year-end fundraising goal. Whether you’re donating for the first time or you regularly give, your support is welcome and appreciated. 

Donate now.

The Impact of Your Contribution

Wondering about the impact your contribution may have on the lives of those we serve? Below are just a few programs and initiatives your donation supports:

  • $100 covers CPR training for an educator 
  • $250 helps one educator complete their Child Development Associate (CDA) portfolio
  • $500 supports an early educator complete the Child Care 101: New Hire Orientation Professional Development Series
  • $1,000 sponsors a group day trip to Harrisburg to advocate for increased investments in early education
  • $2,500 underwrites a site-wide training for a provider serving 40+ children

Maximize Your Impact

Once you’ve donated, you have the opportunity to double your donation by requesting a matching gift from your employer. The process is simple – once you make a donation, you will be prompted to check for matching gift opportunities. You simply enter your employer’s name, and the Double the Donation database will identify whether your employer has a matching gift program and determine if you are eligible. 

If eligible, you will be guided through the process of submitting a matching gift request to your employer. Search now to see if your employer will match your donation.

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List Features Best Books for Children That Tackle Mental Health

Books can be a great method of helping children to cope with such issues as ADHD, anxiety, the loss of a loved one, or regulating their emotions.

The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of 2025 books that tackle the topic of mental health and included other resources.

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Stories that address mental health topics for children are becoming more prevalent. Among the Child Mind Institute’s selections are picture books for young children and graphic novels and YA books for tweens and teens. 

Topics include everything from teaching children how to read – including those with dyslexia – as well as how to help preschoolers learn mental health skills.

The Child Mind Institute’s list of resources include:

News

December 5, 2025

Registration Open for UnConference: Kindergarten Transition

Registration is now open for Trying Together’s UnConference: Kindergarten Transition scheduled for Monday, February 16 at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

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The UnConference will highlight multiple aspects of preparing children for kindergarten, from early intervention practices and engaging parents to play-based learning and emotional regulation. 

Attendees will hear from a keynote speaker as well as a panel of experts on kindergarten registration and readiness. Participants will also attend sessions in the morning and afternoon that are led by local and national early childhood organizations.

More Details

The UnConference will run from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, located at 475 E. Waterfront Drive in Homestead. The fee to attend is $25. Registration is required and now open.

Free parking will be available in the AIU parking lot, and overflow parking is available across the street. A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be available and lunch will be provided as part of the registration fee.

The event will begin with keynote speaker Swati Adarkar, the former deputy assistant secretary for policy and early learning at the U.S. Department of Education. Then, participants will  listen to a panel of experts who will discuss how early intervention plays a critical role in supporting kindergarten transitions and how to support and improve on-time kindergarten registration and readiness.

A total of 4.5 PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available for attendees. Trying Together will host the event in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, United Way of SWPA, and Hi5!.

Workshops

Attendees will take part in two sessions – one in the morning and another in the afternoon – led by local and national early childhood organizations. During registration, participants will be asked to make selections for the two workshop time slots.

Workshops include:

  • How Community Partnerships Strengthen Kindergarten Readiness Efforts
  • A K.I.N.D. Framework for Engaging Parents
  • Preparing for Kindergarten with Fred Rogers Productions
  • Strengthening My Early Learner: A Parent’s Journey
  • The Power of Play

About UnConference

The UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format in which a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme. Local and national speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands on in the workshops.

The day concludes with a roundtable discussion on how to apply these experiences and ideas in the early childhood environment and share ideas on how to partner with new colleagues.

News

December 4, 2025

CLASP Releases Guidance for Parents’ Rights Regarding Children During ICE Detainment

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has released guidance regarding rights that parents should know about in case they are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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Parents have a right to make decisions about the care and safety of their children, even while in ICE custody. The National Immigration Law Center and the Center for Law and Social Policy jointly developed a resource for immigrant parents that details the rights that parents have while being apprehended and detained.

ICE’s policies include a responsibility to ensure that detained parents have a say in the care of their children.

Five things that parents should know about ICE policy include:

  • At the time of arrest, parents have the right to make decisions about the care and custody of their children.
  • Parents have the right to be kept near their child or stay in touch with them while detained.
  • Parents can ask for help in most detention centers to help make plans for their children.
  • Parents can be part of their child’s welfare court case while in ICE detention.
  • Parents can decide whether their child will remain in the United States and make alternative care arrangements.

For more information, read CLASP’s resource on knowing one’s rights while being detained by ICE.

News

December 3, 2025

Trying Together Surpasses Fundraising Goals for Give Big Pittsburgh

Thanks to the generous support of donors, Trying Together exceeded its fundraising goal for Give Big Pittsburgh, a 24-hour online fundraising effort held on GivingTuesday that was hosted by Pittsburgh Magazine and presented by GBU Life.

The organization’s goal for the day was $5,000, but ultimately raised $7,180. 

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The donation form will remain open until the end of the year, but individuals who want to make a year-end donation can do so on Trying Together’s website.

Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director, said that donations made on GivingTuesday will help to further the organization’s mission of ensuring that every child has quality early care and education.

“Thank you to those who donated through Give Big Pittsburgh on GivingTuesday,” she said. “Every gift, whether big or small, fuels this work. And every dollar moves our community closer to the care system children deserve. I’m incredibly fortunate to lead an organization filled with people who show up every day for children, families, and early educators across Southwestern Pennsylvania. We believe in a future where every child has access to affordable, high-quality care and education – and where the educators who make that possible are valued, supported, and fairly compensated.”

Double Your Donation

Donors  can double their donation if their employer has a matching gift program. Once an individual makes a donation, they will be prompted to check for matching gift opportunities. 

They will be prompted to enter their employer’s name and the Double the Donation database will identify whether the employer has a matching gift program and determine if the donor was eligible.

If eligible, the donor is guided through the process of submitting a matching gift request to their employer.

How Donations Help

Individuals who donate to Trying Together are helping to support a number of initiatives, including:

  • Community-Based High School Child Development (CDA) Program
  • Buzzword literacy initiative
  • Rapid Response Team
  • Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Resources series
  • Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Diaper & Formula Banks
  • Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways
  • Pediatric First Aid/CPR Facilitation and Instruction
  • Home-Based Child Care Business Cohort

To learn of other giving opportunities, visit Trying Together’s Give Now page.

News

Article Discusses Importance of Caregivers Teaching Children to Cultivate Gratitude

Whether it’s difficulty during the holiday season or just a time when children and their caregivers might be going through a period of stress or crisis, it can be a challenge to look at things in a positive manner.

In a recent article, PBS Kids for Parents discusses how families can find things to be grateful for even during difficult times.

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In the article, child development and behavior specialist Betsy Brown Braun, who is also the author of “Just Tell Me What to Say,” said that gratitude is a life skill that is learned. She notes that it is important for caregivers to help cultivate gratitude in children, especially when times are difficult.

There are a number of reasons why it might be challenging to feel grateful, such as job losses, health problems, relationship struggles, or other issues. 

Braun suggests adopting one of the following tips as a first step to combat the challenges in the attempt to cultivate gratitude in children.

Acknowledge the stress – Rather than deny or ignore issues, discuss the highs and lows of life with children. Let them know that life is rarely a perfectly straight line, but that while it is important to acknowledge the valleys, try to spend more time looking at life from the peaks.

Focus on what you have – Be deliberate in a daily focus on the good, regardless of whether you are in a peak or valley. Make a list of what you have, including the smallest things, and also share the abstract – such as love among family, the joy of taking part in an enjoyable activity, or friendship.

Help others – Everyone struggles at some point. While some may feel as though their family is the only one suffering, serving others in need can help to shift that perspective.

Turn the simple into the special – Parents underestimate the simple joys of childhood and how everyday things can be special to a child. Adopt a childlike attitude and turn simple things into special events. Braun notes that while children may forget gifts, they are unlikely to forget experiences, so treat fun family experiences as special gifts.

Fake it – For caregivers, struggles can challenge the ability to feel gratitude – but they have to practice it even if it feels forced. Words might eventually go from feeling fake to meaningful if something is said long enough to convince oneself of it.

Look to the world – Those struggling with thankfulness should focus on their position and life circumstances in contrast to other parts of the world, which can help to shift their perspective. Take part in outreach to other parts of the world and get children involved. This helps to consider and appreciate what they have, compared to suffering children elsewhere.

To read the entire article, visit PBS Kids for Parents’ website.

News

December 2, 2025

PA Partnerships for Children Report Finds Hundreds of Thousands of Children Without Health Insurance

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children has released a new report that found more than 153,000 children in the state are currently without health insurance, which is the highest number in a decade.

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The 2025 State of Children’s Health Insurance found that the spike has taken place at a time when federal policy changes threaten to make matters worse. The recently-passed H.R. 1 includes nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years along with new work requirements and increased out-of-pocket costs. This could result in 310,000 Pennsylvanians losing health care coverage.

The report also found that disparities persist in a lack of coverage for children. A total of 7.3% of Hispanic children were uninsured, which is the highest in five years, while a total of 9% of children of other races did not have insurance.

More than 49,000 children who are eligible for Medicaid remain uninsured, the report said. Also, seven counties – Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, and Philadelphia – account for 45% of all uninsured children.

Nearly 47% of Pennsylvania children rely on Medicaid, CHIP, or Pennie for health insurance. But with premium tax credits set to expire and marketplace costs rising, more families could lose access to affordable coverage, PA Partnerships for Children said.

For more information, read the entire report, which provides county-specific data.

News

National AfterSchool Association to Host Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards Sessions

The National AfterSchool Association will offer three upcoming virtual Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards (HEPA) sessions.

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The HEPA Learning Series is designed to be a collective learning experience during which out-of-school professionals can connect with each other to share best practices, resources, and challenges involved in implementing HEPA standards.

Each of the three sessions will take a deep dive into a content area of the HEPA standards and will provide opportunities to share and learn from each other. There will also be an opportunity to apply strategies to go from assessment to putting the standards into practice.

All three of the sessions will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. Participants are free to attend any of the virtual meetings based on interest and availability. The sessions include:

  • December 18: Staff training standards
  • February 19: Social support standards
  • April 16: Program support standards

Those interested in taking part in the sessions should register online and email healthyOST@edc.org with any questions.

News

Shapiro Touts Child Care Recruitment and Retainment Program During Riverview Visit

Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis joined child care workers, legislators, and community leaders at Verona’s Riverview Children’s Center on Monday to discuss child care investments in the 2025-26 budget that the governor signed in November.

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Shapiro dropped by the center, with which Trying Together has a long relationship, to talk about how investments in the budget would help Pennsylvania to recruit and retain child care workers, expand access to quality care, and ensure that more parents can stay in the workforce.

The state’s child care industry currently has 3,000 unfilled jobs that, if filled, could serve an additional 25,000 children. Providers also continue to struggle with low wages that make it difficult to hire and retain staff. The result is closed classrooms and families being turned away.

To address the shortages and expand child care availability, the 2025-26 budget established a $25 million Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program that will provide about $450 annually per employed to licensed Child Care Works providers. The bonuses would support approximately 55,000 child care workers.

“When parents can’t find affordable, reliable care, they can’t work – and our entire economy feels it,” Shapiro said during the event at Riverview. “We’ve taken real action to lower costs by tripling the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit for nearly 219,000 families, but affordability isn’t enough. We also have to expand access. That’s why we’re making investments to help child care centers hire and retain talented educators. These bonuses will help to strengthen the workforce, open more slots for children, and make sure families across Pennsylvania can find the care they need.”

The budget also invests an additional $7.5 million for Pre-K Counts to help providers raise wages and stabilize the early educator workforce. It also includes a $10 million increase for early intervention services to support families with children experiencing developmental delays.

Riverview Children’s Center is a state licensed, four-star Keystone STARS early learning center that serves about 154 children from infancy through school age and employs 32 educators. About 15% of the center’s annual revenue comes from Child Care Works.

“As a working mother, I know firsthand how essential high-quality early education and dedicated educators are – not only for our children’s development, but for the stability and success of families across the commonwealth,” said Stephanie Heakins, the center’s director. “At RCC, we are deeply committed to providing high-equity care so every child, no matter their background, begins with the strong foundation they deserve.”