February 15, 2022 Policy Brief: Essential Employees Working Non-Traditional Hours Can’t Find Child Care Trying Together has released a policy brief highlighting the growing need for high-quality non-traditional hour (NTH) child care in Pennsylvania. The Overview of Non-Traditional Hour Child Care Policy Brief outlines how critical it is to include NTH care in state policy solutions to strengthen our early care and learning infrastructure. About Prior to the pandemic, roughly one in three working families required child care during non-traditional hours, yet only one in four regulated providers offered this service, according to a 2019 Research for Action report. According to the policy brief, the gap in non-traditional care threatens the economic security of many working families and the overall economy as employers struggle to rehire their workforce. Prior to the pandemic, the Keystone Command Center for Economic Development and Workforce 2020 annual report noted the lack of accessible non-traditional child care as a barrier for both employees and employers recommending expanding the availability of licensed child care before 6 a.m. and after 6 p.m. (what is normally considered traditional hours) in order to give flexibility and security for working parents. In October 2021, Governor Tom Wolf’s administration allocated $16.8 million of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) discretionary child care funds for subsidy rate incentives for providers that offer at least two hours of child care during non-traditional hours. More Information Trying Together in partnership with the Start Strong PA Campaign are calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Wolf to help further stabilize child care in the Commonwealth, including non-traditional care as part of budget negotiations. Failing to use state funds to help solve the child care crisis would be a missed opportunity that will negatively impact working families, Pennsylvania businesses and the economy. For details, read the full policy brief. Stay up-to-date on how to advocate for these issues by signing-up to support Trying Together’s public policy agenda.
November 29, 2021 CCW Non-Traditional Care Add-On Rates Beginning January 2022 Beginning January 1, 2022, PA Department of Human Services certified child care providers who provide care to children receiving Child Care Works (CCW) during non-traditional hours will be eligible for a non-traditional care add-on rate. About DHS certified child care providers that provide care to children receiving CCW for at least two hours between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays or any amount of time on weekends will receive a non-traditional care add-on rate. These rate incentives will support providers that offer care outside of traditional hours, giving parents a safe place for their children and the security necessary to help parents return to work. The non-traditional care add-on only applies to the days that the non-traditional care takes place and not to any days the child only receives care during typical hours. The add-on rate will be 25% above the established subsidy base rate for each CCW child served during non-traditional hours. Keystone STAR designation does not impact this add-on. For details, read the full announcement by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
