Trying Together to Host Office Hours on 2025 Child Care Market Rate Survey

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October 8, 2025

Trying Together to Host Office Hours on 2025 Child Care Market Rate Survey

Trying Together’s Policy Team will host four upcoming office hours to discuss the importance of completing the 2025 Child Care Market Rate Survey and to offer support and answer questions.

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Every three years, the Market Rate Survey helps the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to set child care subsidy payment rates that are reflective of the private pay market.

The survey’s purpose is also about understanding the private pay tuition rates that programs charge to operate and that families are willing to pay. Even if a survey respondent doesn’t serve children on subsidy, their participation helps the field and may increase the payments to providers.

More programs completing the survey means that Pennsylvania has more information about program needs and what families are paying. This can help to make the case for greater investment in early care and education that will affect all programs.

The survey is open through Monday, December 8.

Trying Together’s office hours to discuss the survey include:

  • Thursday, October 23 from 6 p.m. to 7p.m.
  • Thursday, October 30 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 12 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Office hour attendees who confirm that they completed the survey will be entered into a raffle to receive a gift card. Those interested in attending should register to attend one of the office hours sessions.

Those interested in attending Trying Together’s office hours can sign up online.

Treasurer Announces Short-Term Funding Relief for Pre-K Counts Programs, Head Start Providers

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October 7, 2025

Treasurer Announces Short-Term Funding Relief for Pre-K Counts Programs, Head Start Providers

The Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s Budget Bridge Loan program will now accept applications from Pre-K Counts programs and organizations that provide rape prevention and response services as well as domestic violence prevention and support services for survivors, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced this week.

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Eligible organizations must use the Budget Bridge Loan for immediate operating expenses as indicated by the loan agreement. Funds will be received shortly after an application is approved.

In late September, Garrity announced $500 million in Budget Bridge Loans for Head Start providers and county governments to help support vital human services. Treasury expects to be able to expand the program to Pre-K Counts and rape and domestic violence prevention programs without increasing the original program amount.

The Treasury Department will reach out directly to Head Start programs and county governments. Those who enter into a loan agreement will be required to pay back the initial investment along with a 4.5% annual interest rate within 15 days of state funds being released following the enactment of a state budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26. Providers eligible to apply for the loans will receive communication directly from the Treasurer’s Office with instructions on how to apply.

“The response to Treasury’s short-term funding solution has been positive, and I’m pleased to be able to expand this program to include organizations that provide critical services to more children and also to survivors of rape and assault,” Garrity said. “I’m using the tools available as state treasurer to make sure critical services can continue without interruption. These loans are a lifeline.”

For more information, read the Treasury Department’s announcement on the loan program.

While we continue to advocate for a final budget with early childhood investments, this is welcome relief for Pre-K Counts and Head Start programs. 

Trying Together Calls for Presentation Proposals for February UnConference

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Trying Together Calls for Presentation Proposals for February UnConference

Trying Together invites those interested in presenting at its February 16 UnConference, “Kindergarten Transition,” to submit proposals for presentation topics relating to that topic by Friday, October 31.

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Trying Together’s UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format where a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme related to early childhood education. Speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands-on in the workshops.

Trying Together’s upcoming event, UnConference: Kindergarten Transition, will be held on Monday, February 16 at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, located at 475 E. Waterfront Drive in Homestead. PQAS and Act 48 credits will be available for attendees.

Trying Together is seeking a focused range of topical presentations for the UnConference, which will focus on the topic of the transition to kindergarten. The audience for the UnConference will be early childhood educators, including employees of child care and early learning programs.

Those submitting proposals should design them to fit a 90-minute session.

To submit a proposal, download the submission form. Then, fill it out and submit to learning@tryingtogether.org with the subject line “February 2026 UnConference Proposal” no later than 11:59 p.m. on October 31.

Census Survey Includes Statistics on Children Living in Poverty, Pre-K Counts Eligibility

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October 6, 2025

Census Survey Includes Statistics on Children Living in Poverty, Pre-K Counts Eligibility

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released results of the 2024 Community Survey (ACS), an annual source of up-to-date information on social, economic, and housing data and trends. 

This year’s survey found that the number of Pennsylvania children under the age of 18 living in families below the federal poverty level decreased by about 1%.

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The survey provides local statistics on a variety of demographic and economic topics, including health insurance coverage, household income, and educational attainment.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children highlighted some of the most noteworthy statistics in a recent newsletter. These include:

  • The number of Pennsylvania children under age 18 living in families below the federal poverty line – less than 100% FPL – decreased from 404,000 to 396,000, or from 16% to 15%.
  • Racial gaps remain for children living in poverty: Approximately 31% of Black children live in poverty as well as 26% of Latino children, 10% of non-Hispanic white children, and 20% of children with two or more races.
  • The rate of Pennsylvania children under age 6 who have all available parents in the labor force remained at 72%.
  • Pennsylvania children under 6 who are eligible for Pre-K Counts (less than 300% FPL) decreased from 54% to 51%.

For more statistics, visit the Pennsylvania KIDS COUNT Data Center or the 2024 Community Survey. 

Genius of Play Encourages Outdoor Play, Suggests Activities

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Genius of Play Encourages Outdoor Play, Suggests Activities

Although the summer is over, the weather outside will still be ideal for outdoor activities for the foreseeable future. The Genius of Play has compiled a short list of activities that adults can recommend to children to encourage them to put down their smart phones and other screens for a while.

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Spending time outside provides children with important opportunities for growth and learning, the Genius of Play wrote in its recent newsletter. 

Four activities that the organization included in its newsletter that can be used to encourage outdoor play are:

  • Shadow Art – In this activity, children use varied positions and angles to help them learn that differences can alter the shape of the shadow they create; drawing and creative skills are utilized.
  • Act It Out – This activity involves reading a book aloud and acting it out by assigning a child a role. 
  • Obstacle Course – Adults should design a path for children to follow by creating an imaginary balance beam with tape; make stepping stones with other objects and have children follow the path by crawling over them.
  • Basket Toss – Place objects within easy reach of a child and have them throw them into a basket; the idea is to present a challenge, but not a frustration.

Each of the activities can also be played indoors, if the weather isn’t cooperative.

For more play activities, visit the Genius of Play website.

Articles Discuss Importance of School Attendance and Barriers

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October 1, 2025

Articles Discuss Importance of School Attendance and Barriers

Education is essential for students’ success and social progress, and one of the largest impediments to achieving these things is chronic absence.

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When a student misses several days of class each month, they can fall behind in their classes, Kidsburgh wrote in a recent article. Then, teachers have to juggle the challenges of helping them to catch up while teaching new material to them and the rest of the class.

In the article, education advocates noted that the Pittsburgh region has a large nonprofit and philanthropic community that can help families connect to resources on such issues as food insecurity or child care to enable older siblings to focus on their own education.

Attendance Works, an organization that focuses on ensuring that all students attend school regularly and participate in learning, wrote an article on the root causes of absence from school. It argued that understanding why students are absent as well as what motivates them to attend is important in creating a system of support.

Attendance Works wrote that reasons for absences typically fall into four categories:

  • Barriers to attendance
  • Aversion to school
  • Disengagement from school
  • Misconceptions about the impact of absences

Within these categories, various reasons were included – such as chronic illness, family responsibilities, or poor transportation (barriers); struggling academically or unwelcoming school climate (aversion); lack of challenging or engaging instruction (disengagement); and losing track and underestimating total absences (misconceptions).

Attendance Works included a worksheet that educators can use to mark the reasons why students in their district are absent.

To view the entire list of reasons for absence by category, visit Attendance Works’ website.

APOST to Sponsor OST Professional in TALI’s Emerging Leaders Program

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September 30, 2025

APOST to Sponsor OST Professional in TALI’s Emerging Leaders Program

Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) announced that it will sponsor one out-of-school time (OST) professional to participate in The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)’s Emerging Leaders Program.

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The program addresses the needs of rising Black leaders and their allies by using the pillars of academic instruction, alumni mentoring, and peer networking to hone the skills professionals who are growing in the leadership phase of their career need to move into higher levels of management, successfully navigate challenges they may encounter, and support their ascent up the organizational ladder.

Candidates may include strong individual contributors with supervisory aspirations and those in managerial positions. Applicants must have a minimum of three to five years of professional work experience in corporate, nonprofit, government, or entrepreneurial sectors. A bachelor’s degree or five years of additional, equivalent, and relevant experience is required.

The program’s sessions are held once a month on a consecutive half-day Friday (noon to 5 p.m.) and half-day Saturday (8 a.m. to noon) from January through June. All sessions are held in person on the Carnegie Mellon University campus. 

The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. Those interested can apply online. 

September Recalls on Children’s Products

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September Recalls on Children’s Products

Below is a list of September recalls from the following federal agencies: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

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  • URMYWO recalled its baby loungers due to the risk of suffocation or fall hazards. The loungers violate the mandatory standard for infant sleep products because the sides are shorter than the minimum side height limit to secure an infant, the sleeping pad’s thickness exceeds the maximum limit, and an infant could fall out of an enclosed opening at the foot of the lounger or become entrapped.
  • Blueroot Health recalled its bottles of Bariatric Fusion Iron Multivitamins due to the risk of serious injury or death from child poisoning. The multivitamins contain iron and are not in child-resistant packaging as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.
  • Shierdu recalled children’s toys that could pose a choking hazard. The toy is intended for children under three years of age and contains small parts, which violates a small parts ban and poses a risk of choking.
  • In My Jammers recalled its button flare pajama sets due potential risks of burning injuries to children. The pajama sets violate mandatory standards for children’s sleepwear flammability. 
  • Youbeien recalled crib mobiles that violate the mandatory standard for toys containing button batteries. The compartment that holds the batteries in the remote can be accessed without the use of a common household tool. If button cell or coin batteries are swallowed, they can cause serious injuries, including internal chemical burns and death.
  • YooxArmor recalled its multi-purpose kids’ helmets because they violate the mandatory safety standard for bicycle helmets. The helmets do not comply with the impact attenuation, positional stability, labeling, and certification requirements. In the event of a crash, the helmet can fail to protect the user, posing a serious head injury.
  • LXDHSTRA recalled its baby loungers and crib bumpers because they pose suffocation and fall hazards. The loungers violate the mandatory standard for infant sleep products. The sides are too low to contain an infant and the sleeping pad is too thick, posing a suffocation risk. The enclosed openings at the foot of the loungers are wider than allowed, posing a fall hazard and an entrapment hazard to infants. Also, the baby loungers do not have a stand, posing a fall hazard if used on elevated surfaces.
  • EnHomee Dressers were recalled due to the risks they pose of entrapment for infants if they tip over. The dressers are unstable if they are not anchored to the wall and can entrap children if they tip over. 

Child Mind Institute Shares Resources on Hoarding and Messy Rooms

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September 29, 2025

Child Mind Institute Shares Resources on Hoarding and Messy Rooms

Cleaning one’s room has become a rite of passage for many children, while staying on top of children to clean their rooms is a tradition among many caregivers. It’s a scenario that most involved do not enjoy.

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But while caregivers might believe that a child’s failing to clean their room after being asked multiple times to be a sign of defiance, a cluttered room could also result from hoarding.

According to the Child Mind Institute, children who hoard get emotionally attached to objects – occasionally even ones that might seem like trash, such as used pizza boxes, clothing tags, or rocks. In these cases, the child might get upset if someone tries to clean it up.

In a series of new resources, the Child Mind Institute dives into the topic of hoarding and how it differs from other concerns – such as the chaotic room of a child with ADHD or a teen who hides food. Hoarding is related to OCDE, but children who hoard don’t collect items to relieve anxiety. Instead, anxiety might come when they are forced to get rid of things.

The Child Mind Institute writes that the treatment for hoarding is exposure therapy, where children who hoard handle the discomfort that comes from discarding items. Some children might resist getting treatment, while others might feel ashamed about hoarding. Among the Child Mind Institute’s resources is an article on how to handle embarrassment and support children as they take steps to be more flexible.

Here are the Child Mind Institute’s resources on hoarding: 

Resources for October Observances

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Resources for October Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for October observances.

Week-Long Observances

  • Anti-Poverty Week (Oct. 12 to Oct. 18)

  • Baby Loss Awareness Week (Oct. 9 to Oct. 15)

  • Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5 to Oct. 11)

  • Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 5 to Oct. 11)

  • National Friends of Libraries Week (Oct. 19 to Oct. 25)

  • National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 20 to Oct. 24)

Month-Long Observances

HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH

DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

NATIONAL BOOK MONTH

Days of Recognition

• OCTOBER 3: KIDS MUSIC DAY

• OCTOBER 4: NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY

• OCTOBER 5: WORLD TEACHER’S DAY

• OCTOBER 6: NATIONAL CHILD HEALTH DAY

• OCTOBER 8: NATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL DAY

• OCTOBER 10: WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

• OCTOBER 11: NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

• OCTOBER 13: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY

• OCTOBER 19: NATIONAL NEW FRIENDS DAY

• OCTOBER 20: NATIONAL YOUTH CONFIDENCE DAY

• OCTOBER 28: NATIONAL IMMIGRANTS DAY

• OCTOBER 29 : INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CARE AND SUPPORT