Child Care and Early Learning

Increasing evidence has emerged to show that children's learning opportunities in the years before kindergarten have an important effect on their performance in school and ultimately their ability to contribute to society as adults. Through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Pennsylvania is helping our children, families, teachers and communities reach their promise.

Keystone Stars

We want to make sure that early childhood programs in Pennsylvania have the tools to continually improve service to children and families. Through the Keystone STARS program and the STARS rating system, parents are assured of the quality programs for their children. You can search for a Keystone STARS program in your area.

Help with child care expenses

If you are looking for help to pay child care expenses, or if you need help figuring out how to care for and educate your young child, Child Care Works can help. For more information, call the Child Care Works helpline at 1-877-4-PA-KIDS. You can also find help and information at your local Child Care Information Services office.

We share the concern of parents the child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes in Pennsylvania meet basic health and safety standards. Through our Certification Services Bureau, we certify and register child care facilities to make sure they meet these standards.

Search for a child care provider

You can find child care providers near your home or workplace using the Online Child Care Provider Search database.

Licensing and Inspection Reports

You can also use the Online Child Care Provider Search to review certification information about a provider, including the provider’s certificate status, verified complaints and inspection results. If you want more information about a provider, please contact the Regional OCDEL Office that covers the county where the provider is located.

OCDEL Public Data File

OCDEL Child Care Providers - March 2013 (xls)

In response to numerous data requests, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has decided to provide the following data file. This file contains a list of open certified Child Care facilities in Pennsylvania as of March 30, 2013. This report will be updated on a quarterly basis (April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31). A list of data elements and definitions can be found on the “Data Definitions” Tab. Please note – past sheets will NOT be archived here – only the most recent version will be posted. If you have specialized data requests that cannot be answered using this spreadsheet, please contact Michelle Hill at mhill@pa.gov

Disabilities or developmental delays

If your child is birth to five and has disabilities or developmental delays, our Early Intervention services can provide access to as many opportunities as possible to help them reach their promise. Parents interested in early intervention services may contact the CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288.

Act 24 Data Collection for PA Departments of Education and Public Welfare

Pursuant to Act 24 of 2011, the Departments of Education and Public Welfare are required to submit a report which includes data collected through the Department of Education’s Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s Pennsylvania’s Enterprise to Link Information for Children Across Networks (PELICAN). You can access the reporter here.

For Parents