News

Throughout May, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board  is inviting Pennsylvania child care providers to participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care.

Inspired by the national “A Day Without Child Care,” which takes place every year in May, Imagine a Day Without Child Care offers advocacy activities to engage families, teachers, and staff in early learning programs.

Imagine a Day’s Origins

Since 2022, Start Strong PA and the Provider Advisory Board have drawn attention to the importance of early care and education providers by strengthening the policy-to-practice feedback loop, and growing the network of providers willing to mobilize and advocate on behalf of the early childhood field.

Inspired by the national Day Without Child Care movement, the board introduced A Day Without Child Care to enable child care providers to close on May 13 to advocate for their programs and encourage families to raise awareness for the day.

PAB’s Toolkit

To support provider participation in Imagine a Day Without Child Care, the Provider Advisory Board releases an annual toolkit that includes:

• Information on how to reach out to state legislators  
• Samples of prompts to post on social media to raise awareness for the day
• Tags to include in social media posts
• Information on how to set up a family engagement station for parents or caregivers to take quick action during drop-off or pickup. Stations can include printable temples that families can use to share their stories.
• Printable grab-and-go stickers that can be worn on Imagine a Day Without Child Care

Learn More

On May 13 and throughout the month, Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA are encouraging child care providers to use their voices to advocate for increased funding in the state budget to provide higher wages for early childhood educators. 

When posting to social media, be sure to tag Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA so these organizations can elevate provider posts and ensure elected officials receive a collective message. 

Families can also sign a petition to tell their elected officials that they rely on child care and support increased investments in child care wages.

To learn more, visit Start Strong PA’s website.