December 16, 2025 OCDEL Releases Information About Child Care Recruitment and Retention Program Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced details covering everything from eligibility and staff retention bonuses to application information regarding its 2025-26 Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program. Learn More The recruitment program is a funding opportunity for certified child care programs that maintains a Child Care Works (CCW) Certified Provider Agreement. The intent of the program is to support existing child care staff and recruitment within the field. The 2025-26 enacted state budget includes $25 million for retention and recruitment funding to qualified DHS-certified providers. Qualified staff are eligible for a retention bonus. To the extent that funding is available, qualified child care providers may receive funds to provide new qualified hires with a recruitment bonus. To prepare qualified providers for the release of the recruitment and retention program application period, OCDEL’s announcement includes details on the following: Provider eligibility Staff retention bonuses Staff recruitment bonuses Application Funding and spending requirements Final expenditure report Monitoring information Timeline Next steps Qualified providers must submit a completed application to their regional Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) by Thursday, January 29. For more information, read OCDEL’s announcement. TweetSharePinShare0 Shares
