State launches child care finder

meant for workers at essential businesses

The state Department of Human Services unveiled a page on the department’s website Friday to help essential workers connect with child care providers that have been granted a waiver by the department’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning to continue serving the families of essential personnel during the coronavirus COVID-19 emergency, the state said.

“While many Pennsylvanians are responsibly heeding guidance from the Department of Health to stay home, there are still many thousands of essential workers whose jobs require that they go out into the world and do work that makes it possible for the rest of us to stay safe and healthy. For many of these workers, safe and stable child care is an essential need,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller in a press release. “DHS is committed to maintaining options for these families, and that’s why we implemented a waiver process for child care providers to remain open and serving the children of health care workers, first responders and other essential personnel.”

The public can access information about child care providers that have been granted waivers on the department’s website, which includes a map linked on the citizen resource page of the COVID-19 section. DHS encourages essential workers to use this information as a resource to find child care options available in their community.

Family child care homes and group child care homes operated inside a residence may continue to operate at their discretion without a waiver. Those provider types are defined in regulations and generally serve fewer children than child care centers operated in a commercial setting. The public can access information about these providers at www. findchildcare.pa.gov.