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Start Strong PA Urges Providers to Send Letters to Policymakers About Success of Recruitment and Retention Program

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June 29, 2026

Start Strong PA Urges Providers to Send Letters to Policymakers About Success of Recruitment and Retention Program

Start Strong PA is calling on providers of child care programs who received additional funding from last year’s state budget to send a message to Pennsylvania state legislators to let them know that investments in the state’s early care and education programs are beneficial.

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Currently, state lawmakers are finalizing the state’s 2026-2027 budget. Start Strong PA is urging child care providers to reach out to policymakers to ask them to include, at minimum, the following proposed investments in the early care and education workforce:

  • A $10 million increase for the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program
  • A $2 million increase for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program
  • A $7.5 million increase for Pre-K Counts

Start Strong PA is asking providers who received a Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Award or funding to provide bonuses to staff to let policymakers know if the bonus helped to pay bills, catch up on expenses, support one’s family, or reduce financial stress. 

Providers can also let policymakers know whether the additional funding helped them to feel recognized for the work they do every day. Those who contact legislators can personalize their letters with their own story.

For more information, visit Start Strong PA’s website.

Resources for July Observances

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Resources for July Observances

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

Here is a list of resources for July observances.

Month-Long Observances 

National Parks and Recreation Month

National Make a Difference to Children Month

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Days of Recognition 

July 4 is Independence Day

July 14 is International Nonbinary People’s Day

July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day

July 26 is National Parents’ Day

July 26 is National Disability Independence Day

 

Southwestern PA Aspiring Leaders with Disabilities Can Apply for Fellowship Program

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Southwestern PA Aspiring Leaders with Disabilities Can Apply for Fellowship Program

Aspiring leaders with disabilities in the Pittsburgh region can now apply for the 2027 Disability Lead Institute’s fellows program.

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The Institute Fellows vary from community activists and artists to entrepreneurs and corporate employees who live or work in Southwestern Pennsylvania or the Chicago region. 

Fellows are emerging or established leaders who are interested in exploring their disability identity and learning how to lead with power and influence among a group of peers.

Ideal candidates are described as:

  • Those who self identify as a person with a disability
  • Has at least five years of leadership experience in any context
  • Committed to seeking voluntary participation on a board, commission, or other leadership position in public, private, or nonprofit sectors
  • Committed to strengthening cross-disability identity and knowledge
  • Interested in expanding leadership skills and self awareness and advancing their career
  • Located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, or Westmoreland counties

To learn more about the fellowship or to apply, visit the 2027 Disability Lead Institute’s website.

Proceeds from Washington Wild Things Game in August to Benefit Trying Together

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June 24, 2026

Proceeds from Washington Wild Things Game in August to Benefit Trying Together

Trying Together and SmartKids Child Care & Learning Center invite families to join them for a Family Fun Night at the Washington Wild Things game on Sunday, August 9.

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The Wild Things will take on the Evansville Otters during the game at EQT Park. Children, ages 12 and under, will get in free and receive a voucher for a free meal that night at the game. 

To support the work of Trying Together and the Washington, Pa.-based SmartKids Child Care & Learning Center, 50% of ticket sale proceeds will go to the two organizations.

The game will begin at 4:05 p.m. on August 9 at EQT Park, located at 1 Washington Federal Way in Washington.

The event will also include a kid’s area with inflatables on the third-base side. A ticket costs $1 to play on the four inflatables.

Tickets can be purchased online. A single ticket for attendees ages 13 and above will be $11.50. Group reserved seats are located in Section 206. Tickets can be purchased until 6:35 p.m. on game day.

Pittsburgh Offering Free Meals for Children At Rec Centers, Other Locations Through August

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Pittsburgh Offering Free Meals for Children At Rec Centers, Other Locations Through August

Through mid-August, any child under the age of 18 can receive free breakfast, lunch, and snacks at eight rec centers and more than 40 partner locations in Pittsburgh.

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CitiParks is working with Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Turner’s, Monteverde’s, and the American Dairy Association to offer the program. The continuance of the program was announced last week in Highland Park, CBS News reported. 

Children under age 18 – or those with intellectual disabilities up to age 21 – can receive a free meal at one of eight CitiParks rec centers. Numerous other locations providing the meals can be found on the city’s website. The programs wrap up for the summer at various times in August, with the latest closing down on August 14.

The eight rec center locations include: 

  • Ammon Rec Center (2217 Bedford Avenue)
  • Brookline Rec Center (1400 Oakridge Street)
  • Jefferson Rec Center (605 Rednap Street)
  • Magee Rec Center (745 Greenfield Avenue)
  • Ormsby Rec Center (79 S. 22nd Street)
  • Paulson Rec Center (1201 Paulson Avenue)
  • Phillips Rec Center (201 Parkfield Street)
  • Warrington Rec Center (329 E. Warrington Avenue)

The city has also provided a printable summer food program.

Child Mind Institute Resources Focus on Effects of Traumatic Separation

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June 23, 2026

Child Mind Institute Resources Focus on Effects of Traumatic Separation

Whether it’s a young child whose father disappears without warning, one whose caregiver is detained and deported, or a young person who is placed in foster care, separation from a parent or caregiver can be traumatic for a child.

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Traumatic separation, according to the Child Mind Institute, is a clinical concept based on the importance of the caregiver- or parent-child bond and the profound effects that can result from breaking it.

The element that makes a separation harmful is not necessarily its length, but its character – ones that are sudden or confusing or those that come about through large-scale distressing events, such as a war or natural disaster.

In its latest set of resources, the Child Mind Institute has provided an article about how traumatic separation affects children of all ages and how the right support can prevent long-lasting negative effects and help them to recover. Another piece focuses on separation anxiety and other effects on children, such as difficulty paying attention, acting out, or regression.

The resources also feature information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), advice for military families on how to help children feel secure and connected when parents are deployed, and a discussion of how serious stress can affect child development and why it’s important to help them learn coping strategies and build resilience.

The resources include:

Study: Families Approve of Allegheny County Summer Programs But Many Face Barriers to Access Them

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Study: Families Approve of Allegheny County Summer Programs But Many Face Barriers to Access Them

Many families in Allegheny County face barriers to accessing summer programs, but caregivers with children who attend the programs are mostly pleased with them, according to data from the America After 3PM study.

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The Afterschool Alliance and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) shared county-specific data from the report, “The Summer Struggle for Everyday Families: Affording the Opportunities Parents Want for Youth.”

APOST noted that 96% of Allegheny County caregivers whose child is enrolled said they were satisfied with the program their child attends. A total of 91% of caregivers also favored public funding for summer learning opportunities, APOST’s study found.

“Finding affordable summer programs for their children is a major challenge for too many Allegheny County families,” said Jodi Grant, the Afterschool Alliance’s executive director. “Parents need to stay in their jobs to provide for their families, but when they can’t find affordable summer programs, their children may be unsupervised, on screens, at risk, and in some cases without healthy food during the summer months.”

Grant added that she believed the county should invest more in summer programs that keep children safe, engaged, and learning while giving working families peace of mind.

The report’s key findings included:

  • Affordability remains the top barrier, particularly for low- and middle-income families.
  • Caregivers want their children to have summer learning opportunities.
  • For families who can access programs, the experience is a positive one.
  • A majority of caregivers – both those with and without children in summer programs – support public funding for programs.

For more information, read the America After 3PM report.

PA One Book Program Helps to Nurture Love of Reading in Young Children

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June 22, 2026

PA One Book Program Helps to Nurture Love of Reading in Young Children

Families, child care providers, libraries, and community organizations can all help to instill a love of reading in young children through the Pennsylvania One Book program, which offers free, engaging resources to support early literacy and meaningful reading experiences.

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Each year, the PA One Book program selects a book for young children and a collection of easy-to-use tools to bring the story to life. The program has named Jessica Shaw’s “The Great Cookie Kerfuffle” as its 2026 PA One Book of the year.

The book tells the story of a small farm that breaks into chaos as increasing numbers of f arm animals fight over a dropped cookie. Suddenly, there’s trouble overhead and the animals unite against a common enemy, learning that friendship and taking care of each other is more important than winning a fight.

Available resources include:

  • Printable activity guides with fun, age-appropriate learning activities
  • Information on how to host a PA One Book reading event in your community
  • Printable bookmarks to encourage children to read
  • Printable stickers to celebrate participation and make reading reading fun

The resources are designed to be used at home, in classrooms, during library storytimes, and at community events. 

To explore this year’s book and download free materials, visit the PA One Book website.

Thriving Kids Episode Discusses How to Support Children’s and Your Own Mental Health

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Thriving Kids Episode Discusses How to Support Children’s and Your Own Mental Health

Most people don’t want to just exist to get through life – but rather, they would at some point like to thrive, a notion that is explored in the latest Thriving Kids podcast.

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Psychologist Alfiee Breland-Noble, PhD, MHSc, has spent years studying what gets in the way of thriving for young people and what helps. One of her key takeaways is that the way we care for our own mental health teaches children how to care for theirs.

On the latest Thriving Kids podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for The Child Mind Institute, joins Breland-Noble, founder of the mental health nonprofit The AAKOMA Project and author of “Rise and Thrive,” to discuss this topic.

The discussion focuses on what her research reveals about the pressures on young people – including the nonstop news cycle – as well as why social media can be a risk and, for others, a genuine lifeline. They also discuss how trusted voices and community can chip away at stigma.

Some of their tips on how to support a child’s mental health and one’s own include:

  • Get children used to talking about feelings before there is a problem; talking openly and regularly about emotions helps to normalize mental health, so it feels less scary or shameful when something harder comes along.
  • Show children how to cope and don’t just tell them what to do; children pick up coping habits by watching the adults around them, so name your own feelings and what you do about them aloud.
  • Taking care of your mental health is part of parenting, not a luxury; managing your own stress is one of the best ways to keep children from absorbing it and tending to your own well-being shows them that practicing mental health care is something grown-ups do.
  • When upsetting news comes up, help children process it; if something is frightening in the news, it’s better for children to hear it from you – calmly present the facts – so you can set the emotional tone.
  • Take their online life seriously and stay curious about it; rather than dismissing social media’ impact, check in regularly and ask children about notice how particular apps, feeds, and comments make them feel.

For more information, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.

PD Registry Debuts App for Apple and Android Devices

News

June 17, 2026

PD Registry Debuts App for Apple and Android Devices

Pennsylvania’s Professional Development (PD) Registry has a new app that is now available on Apple and Android devices.

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The registry’s new app is intended to make it easier for early learning professionals to manage their professional development while on the go.

With the app, registry users can:

  • Upload documents directly from their phone camera or files
  • Access and manage their PD Registry anytime in any place

The app is free to download in the Apple Store and Google Play.

The app was designed with state early educators in mind and helps to save time so they can stay focused on supporting children and their families.

The PD Registry is an online early childhood education workforce system that acts as a hub for educators to manage their careers, track training hours, find professional development opportunities, and apply for credentials or tuition assistance.