Child care providers can now apply for a $600 Pandemic Relief Award on behalf of their eligible child care employees and child care support employees currently working directly with children as of January 1, 2021, and working a minimum of 20 paid hours a week. Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 will host Q&A sessions to help providers through the application process.

About

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is providing a one-time $600 award to approximately 33,000 child care employees and child care support staff across the commonwealth. Examples of child care employees may include but are not limited to the following:

• • Child Care Center: Director, Group Supervisor, Assistant Group Supervisor, Aide
• • Group Child Care Home: Primary Staff and Secondary Staff
• • Family Child Care Home: Owner/Operator and Staff Person

Providers of all STAR levels may apply on behalf of their child care employees and child care support employees. Awards will be paid directly from the ELRC to the Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care provider’s owner/operator/director, who will then pay the child care employee or child care support employee directly after taxes and deductions that would apply to regular wages.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Child Care COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Award, a DHS certified child care employee or child care support staff must meet the following requirements:

• • Currently working at the provider as of January 1, 2021.
• • Earn less than a gross salary of $70,000 annually.
• • Work a minimum of 20 hours a week at a DHS certified child care provider. Holidays, vacation, sick and other approved time off does not factor into this eligibility requirement.
• • Pre-K Counts (PKC) and Head Start State Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) DHS child care employees and child care support staff are also eligible if they work directly with children in a DHS certified child care at least 20 hours a week.
• • These employees must work outside of the PKC and HSSAP program hours and meet all other eligibility criteria as noted in the above first three bullets.
• • PKC and HSSAP DHS child care employees and child care support employees are also eligible if they work directly with children in a blended classroom with both PKC and HSSAP funded children, Child Care Works (CCW) and/or private pay child care children.

The following are NOT eligible:

• • DHS certified child care employees and child care support employees who are currently laid off or did not return after being laid off from work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• • DHS certified child care employees or child care support employees working less than 20 hours a week at the DHS certified child care provider.
• • Volunteers.
• • Household member (unless a household member is a paid employee working 20 hours a week in a DHS regulated child care).
• • Pre-K Counts and HSSAP employees not working directly with children in a DHS certified child care setting at least 20 hours a week.
• • Employees working in a business role where no direct contact with families or children take place.
• • Employees who earn more than a gross salary of $70,000 annually.
• • Relative child care providers.
• • Outside vendors serving as support staff.
• • Staff working virtually.
• • If a DHS certified child care provider’s owner/operator/director chooses not to participate in this award process, the employee cannot apply as an individual.

How To Apply

ELRC Region 5 is accepting applications from January 13 to February 12, 2021. All applications must be sent to ELRC Region 5 via grants.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us. ELRC Region 5 will host Q&A sessions to help providers through the application process. Sessions will be held at various times from January 13 to January 22, 2021.

Only one $600 award is allowed per eligible certified child care employee or child care support employee; regardless of employment at multiple locations or with multiple employers. The award is on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are available in a fillable PDF format or a Word format.

More Information

For questions, contact ELRC Region 5 at 1.888.340.3572 or elrc5@alleghenycounty.us. More information about eligibility criteria, applications, award approval, and award monitoring can be found in the following documents:

• Announcement ELRC 21 #01 Child Care COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Award (PDF)

• Instructions and Application (Fillable PDF)

• Instructions and Application (Word)

• ELRC Preferred Method (to submit applications) (PDF)