May 11, 2023 Child Care Providers Invited to Complete Environmental Health Survey The Healthy Childcare Partnership (HCP), a statewide group of child care organizations, is asking child care providers in Pennsylvania to complete their Childcare Programs Environmental Health Survey. The survey aims to gauge interest in, and need for, training and policies that keep children and staff healthy. Participating providers must submit their surveys by Friday, May 19. About The Healthy Childcare Partnership The Healthy Childcare Partnership was founded by Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) in 2022 as part of a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Funds for the grant were provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP). These funds aimed to support children’s environmental health by building capacity through activities that identify and address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities. WHE was one of four organizations to receive a grant. In receiving one, the organization committed to developing HCP. Additionally, it agreed to complete over 200 eco-healthy assessments aimed at mitigating environmental risks in child care centers. Complete the Survey Interested individuals must complete the survey on the University of Pennsylvania website, or via the link on the PD Registry Facebook page. The survey closes Friday, May 19. Learn More To learn more about the Healthy Childcare Partnership or EPA grant, visit the EPA website. For more information about the survey, contact the Pennsylvania Key.
May 8, 2023 Child Care Providers Invited to Participate in ‘Imagine a Day Without Child Care’ Throughout the month of May, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board (PAB) is inviting Pennsylvania child care providers to participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care. Presented in conjunction with the national Day Without Childcare movement on May 8, Imagine a Day Without Child Care offers advocacy activities for providers to engage their teachers, staff, and families in their early learning programs. About PAB and Imagine a Day Without Child Care Since 2022, the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board has aimed to elevate the influence 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 Day Without Child Care movement, PAB introduced Imagine a Day Without Child Care to enable child care providers unable to close on May 8 to advocate for their programs and encourage families to raise awareness around the workforce crisis, as they care for children. This year, Imagine a Day Without Child Care will address the following themes: Families on the waiting list aren’t forgotten, and we’re trying everything to get you in our doors. What will higher wages mean for our early childhood educators? How can we give our families and staff an outlet and opportunity to share their stories? Connecting the workforce crisis to those who are affected by it — but might not otherwise realize it — such as business owners. Participate in Imagine a Day Without Child Care To support provider participation in Imagine a Day Without Child Care, PAB developed a toolkit with posters, stickers, social media posts, and an action alert for families—both currently enrolled and on waitlists. Access the toolkit on the Start Strong PA website and join PAB in Imagine A Day Without Child Care. Learn More May 8, and throughout the month of May, Strong Strong PA and Pre-K for PA encourage child care providers to use their voices to advocate for increased funding in the state budget to address higher wages for early childhood educators. Please tag Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA when posting, so these organizations can elevate provider posts and ensure elected officials hear this collective message. To learn more, visit the Start Strong PA website.
May 3, 2023 ELRC Requiring All Subsidized Child Care Providers to Submit Closed Days Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC) are requiring all in- and out-of-state child care providers participating in the Child Care Works (CCW) Subsidized Child Care Program to provide their Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 closed days. CCW is managed by local ELRC offices, and closed days must be provided to them by May 15. About Closed Days The ELRC pays subsidized child care providers for a limited number of days that their facilities are closed, when those providers also charge private-pay clients for their closed days. During FY 2023-24 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), CCW will pay up to 15 closed days. However, these closed days must be provided to ELRC by the May 15 deadline. In no case will the ELRC pay for more than 15 closed days per year. In-state and out-of-state providers using Provider Self-Service (PSS) have more flexibility to manage closed days than those not using PSS. Providers with PSS access may add, delete, or change closed days that occur in the current month, are planned for a future month, or that occurred in a prior month (even if the day is not an emergency closure), if the change is entered before the 6th of the current month. Requirements for changing closed days by providers not using PSS are described below. Child care providers can register for PSS at pelican.state.pa.us/provider. If you have questions when registering for or using PSS, call the PELICAN Help Desk at 1-877-491-3818. Providing Closed Days to the ELRC Providers Using PSS Providers using PSS must update closed days online. The ELRC will NOT enter the closed days for you. After accessing your PSS account: Click “Provider Profile,” then “Manage Closed Days.” On the “Location Closed Days Summary” page, select “2023.” Large, state-observed holidays will be prepopulated. Please indicate whether private-pay parents pay you for these closed days. If you are open on a prepopulated closed day, delete that day. Enter the remainder of your closed days by clicking the “Add Closed Day” button, and indicate whether private-pay parents pay you for the closed days you enter. Closed days must be entered into PSS by May 15. Providers Not Using PPS Providers not using PSS must complete Provider Agreement Appendix B and return their completed appendix to the ELRC by May 15. To find your local ELRC, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website. Please note: Once providers not using PPS identify their closed days, they may not change them. Since providers not using PPS cannot change their closed days once submitted, you may want to limit the number of closed days you declare at the beginning of the year, in case you need to add closures later in the year. If you initially choose fewer than 15 closed days and need to increase closed days at a future date, you may only do so by: Notifying the ELRC at least two weeks prior to adding closed days. Notifying the ELRC within three (3) days of reopening your facility following an emergency closure, such as a snow day. If you do not return Provider Agreement Appendix B by May 15, all the commonwealth holidays will be entered as paid closures and will not be changed if you are open for business. Learn More Provider Profile Providers located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who use PSS are encouraged to update their provider profile information through PSS. This information about your facility includes rates you charge your private-pay families, closed days, hours of operation, and activities offered. It is presented to the public through internet searches in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS). In-state providers who do not use PSS can contact the ELRC to update their profile information. Out-of-state child care providers do not have a provider profile. Additional Information If you have any questions, please contact your ELRC at 412-350-3577.
May 1, 2023 Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 Partnering to Offer First Aid & CPR Training Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 are partnering to provide First Aid, Pediatric First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automated external defibrillator (AED) training to early childhood professionals throughout June, July, and August. Participants will receive training through a single, six-hour, in-person course offered on multiple dates and at varying times throughout the summer. About the Course This course emphasizes hands-on learning and provides life-saving skills in alliance with The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Best Practices for Workplace First Aid Training Programs. Certification will be issued upon successful completion of the course. This certification is valid for 2 years. Course Offerings Courses are available: June 3 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Trying Together (5604 Solway Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217) July 20 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center (7219 Kelly Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15208) August 8 | 3:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Trying Together (5604 Solway Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217) August 26 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | TBD Register via the links above. Learn More The cost of the course is $35. The course is PQAS certified and must be paid for in full before registrants can participate. Registered individuals will receive additional course information prior to the start of their registered session. Please make sure to read all information before the start of the course. For questions about the sessions, contact Holly Cessna at holly.cessna@alleghenycounty.us. For credit questions, contact Paige Kizior at paige@tryingtogether.org.
April 25, 2023 Advocacy Organizations Release Report on Rural Early Care and Education Trying Together, in partnership with Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA, recently released a report on the current state of early child care and education in Pennsylvania’s rural counties. Entitled, “A Snapshot of the Rural Early Care and Education Landscape: Examining data from 13 counties in Pennsylvania,” the report shows that families in rural Pennsylvania communities have limited access to quality care, despite having a higher proportion of parents in the workforce, and a greater prevalence of long and nontraditional hours and commutes. About Rural Counties and the Rural Early Care and Education Report Authors of the report considered counties in which the number of people per square mile amounted to less than 291 (the statewide average), rural. Of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, 72% met this definition, and just over 162,000 children under five live in them. This report highlights data in the following rural counties: Armstrong, Butler, Centre, Clarion, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, and Washington. It also includes data from Lancaster, Westmoreland, and York counties. These counties aren’t classified as rural based on the population, but include pockets of rural communities facing similar challenges. Report Findings Rural families and child care providers have some of the greatest challenges in accessing and providing child care in Pennsylvania. This is due to the unique realities of rural areas, including fewer high-quality options, distance and travel, limited transportation, higher teacher turnover, fewer qualified individuals living in the region, and lower family incomes. Specifically: Working Families Child Care Needs Nearly every rural county in PA shows a majority of all available parents in the labor force. Seven of the counties reviewed have a higher proportion of working parents than does the state. Over 80% of parents in Butler County are in the workforce, as are three quarters of parents in Indiana and Somerset counties. In rural areas, options for evening, overnight, or weekend hours are scarce, with one parent describing them as non-existent. Child Care Provider Capacity The number of Child Care Works (CCW) subsidy-eligible children who need child care exceeds the licensed capacity in every county reviewed, with the exception of Centre. Families are eligible for the CCW subsidy if their incomes are at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($60,000 for a family of four). Most rural child care programs are not operating at full capacity because they don’t have enough staffing. Statewide home-based providers make up about 30% of licensed programs, yet home-based providers comprise a much higher proportion in some of the rural counties analyzed. In Greene County, home-based providers account for over 70% of licensed options, and for over half in Franklin County. Indiana County home-based providers make up 48% of licensed options, and in Armstrong and Somerset counties, home-based providers are 42% of licensed child care. Public Funding for Child Care and Pre-K The state only serves a quarter of CCW-eligible infants and toddlers. Unfortunately, this figure is even lower in every rural county reviewed. In rural counties, both subsidized and private pay infant and toddler care is difficult to find and afford. Pre-K children are served at much higher rates than infants and toddlers, given that pre-k investments have been more consistent and sustainable. Clarion, Greene, Indiana, and Lawrence counties are serving more than half of their eligible three- and four- year olds. The Child Care Workforce Pennsylvania is experiencing a dramatic decline in teachers from pre-k to 12th grade, and rural communities have been the most significantly impacted by this decline. No county shows median annual earnings above $26,000, with six counties below $20,000 a year. The median earnings fall well under the cost of living in every county. Providers highlighted the difficulty of training staff, especially with changing requirements and when onboarding new employees. Another challenge that providers raised is the lack of mental and behavioral health and early intervention services. Recommendations Early childhood programs can’t continue to operate with their current budgets and expenses. Additionally, middle class families cannot continue to shoulder the brunt of the cost, while child care teachers subsidize the system through their own low wages. Thus, Trying Together, Start Strong PA, and Pre-K for PA recommend the following: Invest long-term, sustainable funding for early childhood educator wages. Conduct further research on family child care needs and choices in rural communities. Support resources and quality for home-based and relative care providers. Increase infant and toddler contracted slots (grants). Move to an alternative cost methodology for setting subsidy rates. Increase early intervention, mental health, and behavioral health resources, and professionals. Provide more support and resources to help rural providers meet training requirements. Learn More To learn more, read the full report.
April 24, 2023 Westmoreland County Chamber Hosts Summit to Address Child Care Crisis Area lawmakers, child care providers, and members of the business community met at Westmoreland County Community College on Thursday, April 20 to discuss concerns about a historic staffing shortage within the child care sector and its impact on the economy and working families. About the Summit Entitled, “Supporting Our Workforce: Child Care in Westmoreland County,” the event was organized by Start Strong PA and the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with: Workforce Investment Board: Westmoreland & Fayette Counties, Westmoreland Community Action, Trying Together, Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, and ReadyNation Council for a Strong America. It featured several speakers, including Pennsylvania State Representatives George Dunbar and Eric Davanzo, General Manager of Live! Casino Pittsburgh Sean Sullivan, Queens College Economist Dr. Clive Belfield, Executive Director of Trying Together Cara Ciminillo, and CEO of the Greensburg YMCA Suzanne Printz, all of whom detailed new research regarding the impacts of the child care crisis. Summit Highlights Sullivan noted impact that limited child care options has on the workforce, saying, “When parents don’t have reliable, affordable, and quality child care, their work suffers which has an impact for both the employee and employer.” Belfield, who conducted the research for the recent ReadyNation report which revealed that gaps in the Pennsylvania child care system cost employers and taxpayers about $6.65 billion annually, cited the report. He explained that 60% of parents surveyed reported being late for work, leaving work early, or missing full days of work due to child care problems. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they quit due to child care struggles. Ciminillo referenced a new Start Strong PA study showing the average child care teacher in Pennsylvania earns $12.43 per hour or less than $25,844 per year. “Our research shows that 50 percent of early learning educators say they do not plan to or are unsure of whether they will remain in their jobs in the next five years due to low wages,” Ciminillo said. Printz noted that child care providers can’t just raise teacher wages because families are already struggling to afford the costs of care. Participants referenced the dire impact that low wages are having on the availability of care and a recent Start Strong PA survey that revealed more than 3,600 open staff positions across the state, resulting in more than 1,500 closed classrooms with a combined waitlist of more than 35,000 children. Participants discussed a series of action steps for both policy makers and the private sector to better ensure affordable high-quality child care for Pennsylvania’s working families. Private sector actions included flexible working schedules, child care referrals, tuition assistance programs, dependent care flexible spending accounts, and even on-site care. For policy makers, participants stressed the urgent need for the Commonwealth to help implement and pay for a wage scale for child care teachers that will help providers better compete in the current labor market. Learn More To learn more, visit the the Start Strong PA website.
April 21, 2023 PNC Foundation to Match Donations to Pre-K and Head Start Requests The PNC Foundation is partnering with DonorsChoose—an online nonprofit that allows individuals to fund classroom projects and teacher requests for resources and materials—to help early childhood educators obtain quality resources and experiences for students in public pre-K, public charter, and Head Start classrooms. By committing to match “dollar-for-dollar” any DonorsChoose donations that support pre-k and Head Start projects, the foundation hopes to encourage others to fund child care and early childhood education. The duration of the match is undetermined and subject to restrictions and a maximum dollar amount. DonorsChoose Educator & Project Eligibility Who can participate? Pre-K teachers in every state, subject area, and grade level can use DonorsChoose. If you are an educator at a public school, public charter school, or Head Start program, are employed full-time by a school or district, and work directly with students at least 75% of the time, you are eligible to post projects. What is eligible for funding? You can request anything you need to enrich your students’ experience at school. Sports equipment? A classroom library? Furniture? Musical instruments? DonorsChoose can help. If you can imagine it, you can post a classroom project request for it. How does it work? The process is simple: Create your project in DonorsChoose. Receive donations from friends, family, and supporters through the DonorsChoose website. Receive your request. DonorsChoose orders everything for you and ships it straight to you or your school. How long does it take? The average project takes about 25 minutes to create and submit. Once your project is funded, DonorsChoose takes care of the rest. Participate in the Match To utilize the match from the PNC Foundation and better fund your pre-k or Head Start classroom project, add it to the DonorsChoose website by following the step-by-step instructions on the “How it Works” page. Results from Past Partnerships Between the PNC Foundation & DonorsChoose Previously, the PNC Foundation flash funded almost $2 million dollars in requests from 3,054 pre-k teachers across 30 states through DonorsChoose. As a result, almost 89,000 pre-k and Head Start students and their early educators received support for materials and projects. Throughout greater Pittsburgh, 126 pre-k teacher requests were fully funded. Learn More PNC’s support of DonorsChoose coincides with the launch of this year’s “Great Month” at PNC—an annual celebration held each April to raise awareness of PNC Grow Up Great® and the importance of high-quality early childhood education. Launched in 2004, the $500 million, bilingual initiative supports programs, resources, and experiences that help to prepare children from birth through age five for success in school and life. To learn more about PNC’s partnership with DonorsChoose and how to participate, visit the PNC Bank website or view the flyer.
April 19, 2023 Child Care Career Openings in Pittsburgh Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See featured jobs for this week. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Early Intervention Therapists TEIS Early Intervention is looking for full- and part- time Early Intervention Therapists with a passion for educating families and helping children thrive in the Greater Pittsburgh region. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply on LinkedIn or email their resume to aformato@teisinc.com. Lead Teacher Allie Alligator is looking for a dedicated, hard working passionate early childhood educator to serve as a Lead Teacher. Interested individuals should email warrendale@alliealligator.com to apply. Child Care Director Fifth Avenue Family Childcare Center (FAFCC) is looking to hire a qualified child care director to manage the day-to-day operations at FAFCC. The director will establish and sustain a positive learning environment for children at this small, cooperative child care center located on the campus of The Ellis School in Shadyside. Interested individuals should email their cover letter and resume to fafcc.president@gmail.com by May 15. Group Supervisor, Infant Room The Group Supervisor ensures the coordination of quality programs for all age groups. This individual will plan and execute the creative curriculum, use OUNCE and ASQ assessments, observe and evaluate child progress, and communicate with parents daily, scheduling conferences when needed. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at www.ywcapgh.org. Submit a Job Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Heidi Winkler at heidi@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE HIRE Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. Submit a Job to PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
April 13, 2023 Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets for Educators and Childcare Providers Anxiety disorders cause people to feel frightened, distressed, or uneasy during situations in which most people would not feel that way. Left untreated, anxiety disorders can make it hard for students to get schoolwork done or study. It may affect their relationships with peers and teachers, too. In some cases, students with anxiety disorders miss a lot of school days. Or they may avoid school altogether. Nemours KidsHealth has compiled common anxiety disorder facts sheets that affect children. Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). With GAD, children have many worries and worry much of the time. They may also have physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, or tiredness. Phobias. A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear of a specific thing. Some kids have a phobia of dogs. Others have a phobia of spiders or snakes. A child with a phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the thing they fear. Social anxiety. Kids and teens with social phobia have an intense fear of being judged. It affects them in social or other situations. They will avoid situations where they may have to meet new people or perform. Selective mutism. Some students are too fearful to talk at all in certain situations. Kids and teens with selective mutism are able to talk, and talk well. But they are too fearful to talk in some situations outside their home or with people other than friends. Panic disorder. Some students have panic attacks, a sudden and intense episode of fear. They can include physical symptoms like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly. Separation anxiety. It’s normal for babies and very young children to have some separation anxiety when they are apart from a parent or caregiver. But when separation anxiety lasts beyond the early school age years, students may have trouble coming to school. Educators and child care providers can also access the Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheet information in Spanish.
April 12, 2023 BabyTalks Series: Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships Children are born with the amazing ability to form strong bonds with their caregivers, but how do we help infants and toddlers prepare for peer relationships? Join the Office of Head Start and their National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning for this webinar, and learn how infants’ and toddlers’ experience with others shapes their understanding of themselves and their relationships with peers. This webinar will have English and Spanish captioning. Webinar Details Thursday, April 20 | 3 – 4 p.m. Virtual Register Learn More In this webinar, Beth Zack, Ph.D., and Marley Jarvis, Ph.D., from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning will present research on how children build peer relationships. Attendees will discover the importance of creating spaces where children feel like they belong and how this helps children understand themselves and others, as well as explore strategies and resources that help infants and toddlers build a strong foundation for a lifetime of healthy peer relationships. To learn more, visit the “Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships” registration page.
