Searching for a Provider
You can request a list of all child care providers in PA by completing the form in this hyperlink: Request Child Care Provider List.

Once you submit your request, your list will be sent to the email address you provided within 48 hours.
Yes, you can search for providers that offer overnight care by using the Advanced Search option or applying filters to your results.

If you have not already performed a search, you can use the Advanced Search option to select the hours you need care or select "24-hour Care" from the General Schedules Served dropdown in the Schedule Tab. Providers returned in your results offer care during the hours you selected.

If you already have your search results, you can select the hours you need care in the Filter By section on the left side of the screen. Once you select the APPLY FILTERS button, your results will be updated with providers that offer care for the hours you selected.

If you are unable to find providers that offer the hours of care your family needs, please contact your local ELRC.
You can find providers that accept certain financial assistance programs by using the Advanced Search option or by applying filters to your results.

If you have not already performed a search, you can use the Advanced Search option to select different financial programs within the Financial tab.

If you already have your search results, you can select financial programs in the filter section on the left side of the screen. Once you select the APPLY FILTERS button, your results will display providers that accept the financial programs you selected.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program that provides free meals and snacks for low-income children in childcare programs.
Pursuant to 55 Pa. Code §§ 3270.26, 3280.25, and 3290.23, in order to receive a certificate of compliance, child care providers must comply with nondiscrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (¿ADA¿), 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 12101 et seq. The ADA requires providers to make reasonable accommodations to include children who have special needs.
The term "Nursery School" is now referred to as Private Academic School (PDE Licensed Preschool). You can search for a Private Academic School (PDE Licensed Preschool) in the Advanced Search page under the Early Learning Programs within the Programs tab.
The best way to find providers that offer before and after school care is to use the General Schedules Served dropdown within the Advanced Search Schedule tab and select the Before School and After School options.
Search Results
All licensed providers are required to meet certain health and safety standards.

If you see a STARS rating for a provider, that provider participates in the Keystone STARS program. Keystone STARS supports and recognizes the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania through four levels of performance standards. Each level builds on the previous one and utilizes research-based best practices to promote quality early learning environments and positive child outcomes. The standards address staff qualifications and professional development, the early learning program, partnerships with family and community, and leadership and management.

In addition to STARS rating, providers may also have accreditations that enhance their commitment to providing quality care.

For more information on how to choose a quality program, please refer to Choosing the right daycare / Child Care / Early Learning Program for your family.
The Department of Human Services will issue a provisional certificate of compliance, valid for a specific time period of no more than 6 months, when the Department finds the following
  • Provider has substantially, but not completely, complied with applicable requirements for a certificate of compliance.
  • Provider is complying with a course of correction approved by the Department.
  • Existing deficiencies do not adversely alter the health, welfare or safety of the children.
  • Within 15 working days of the receipt of the deficiency report, a provider shall submit a plan to correct deficiencies noted during the site visits.
  • A provisional certificate of compliance may be renewed no more than three times.
  • Provider had an initial inspection, has been in operation less than six months and is awaiting a full inspection visit by Certification for assessment of compliance with all statutes, ordinances, and regulations.
Upon compliance with the plan of correction, a regular certificate of compliance shall be issued.
The Department of Human Services may revoke, or refuse to issue, a certificate of compliance for any of the following reasons:
  1. Failure to comply with a directive issued by the Department.
  2. Violation of, or noncompliance with, Pennsylvania Code.
  3. Failure to comply with a plan of correction approved by the Department, unless the Department approves an extension or modification of the plan of correction.
  4. Gross incompetence, negligence, or misconduct in the operation of the facility.
  5. Fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or bribery in obtaining or attempting to obtain a certificate of compliance.
  6. Lending, borrowing, or using the certificate of compliance of another facility.
  7. Knowingly aiding or abetting the improper granting of a certificate of compliance.
  8. Mistreating or abusing individuals cared for or treated by the facility.
  9. Continued noncompliance in disregard of Pennsylvania Code.
  10. Operating a facility with a physical condition that endangers the health and safety of the public.

If the Department proposes to revoke, or refuse to issue, a certificate of compliance, it will give written notice to the provider. If the provider does not correct the deficiencies within the specified time, the Department will officially notify the provider that it must show cause why its certificate of compliance should not be revoked and that it has a right to a hearing. A request to the Department for a hearing shall be filed, in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the show cause order.
If a provider holds a certain accreditation, this means that they are committed to upholding the standards set forth by that organization or association. Below is a short description of what each of these accreditations stands for:

Council on Accreditation (COA): The COA partners with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery outcomes by developing, applying, and promoting accreditation standards.
For additional information, please visit www.coanet.org

National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAC): The NAC is a national program that was developed for early care and educational programs that are used to promote professionalism and quality in child care.
For additional information, please visit www.naccp.org.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The NAEYC is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.
For additional information, please visit www.naeyc.org.

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): The focus of NAFCC is to provide technical assistance to family child care associations. This assistance is provided through developing leadership and professionalism, addressing issues of diversity, and by promoting quality and professionalism through NAFCC's Family Child Care Accreditation.
For additional information, please visit www.nafcc.org.

National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA): The NECPA has been carefully crafted to create broad public understanding of the benefits of high quality early childhood care and education. Coupled with this increased understanding is a raised awareness of the "professional expertise" required to deliver that high quality care and an appreciation of the advantages that children receive from accredited centers and schools.
For additional information visit www.necpa.net.
Each Early Learning Program provides services for certain ages. The age(s) selected during your search will determine the Early Learning Programs that are returned in your results.
Early Learning Programs Offered describes the other programs the provider participates in.
All Child Care providers have the option to participate in the Keystone STARS program. Certain Early Learning Programs are also able to participate in the Keystone STARS program.

If a provider displays "No STARS rating" it means that they have chosen not to participate in the Keystone STARS program.
To learn more about the Keystone STARS program and each STARS level, Click Here.
Keystone STARS- Pennsylvania's Quality Rating and Improvement System

The Keystone STARS Performance Standards measure three areas of child care that make a difference in the quality of care your child receives:
  • from the staff employed by the early learning provider;
  • in the environment your child attends every day, and;
  • in the way the early learning provider operates.
As a facility moves from STAR 1 to STAR 4, the requirements in these areas increase.

What can I expect from providers at each STAR level?
The higher the STAR level, the higher the quality. STARS performance standards measure the aspects of an early learning program that affect the quality of your child's progress in that program, such as teacher qualifications, classroom and learning activities, working with families and business management.

What to expect from a STAR 1 program: Certification and Compliance
  • A Department of Human Services Child Care Certificate of Compliance;
    • Or
  • Department of Education Private Academic School license in good standing;
    • Or
  • Early Head Start and Head Start programs in substantial compliance with no deficiencies
What to expect from a STAR 2 program: Required Performance Standards
  • Meet all requirements of a STAR 1 program, plus
  • Pennsylvania's Early Learning Standards are used as a resource for staff to support planning and documentation of children's learning.
  • Lessons plans reflect a balance of activities that support developmentally appropriate learning through play
  • A research-based developmental screening tool is used within 45 days of enrollment to identify children who may need additional evaluation and/or intervention strategies.
What to expect from a STAR 3 program: Process Quality Performance Standards
  • Meet all requirements of a STAR 2 program, plus:
  • Staff have completed or are enrolled in credentials or degrees.
  • Learning materials are available for a large part of the day.
  • Literacy activities, including reading to children, storytelling, and encouraging written and verbal communication take place often during the day.
  • Increased parental involvement
  • Communicate and document child observations to families.
  • Written policies and procedures
  • Implementation of a financial system, increased staff compensation, and benefits
What to expect form a STAR 4 program: Process Quality Performance Standards
  • Meet all requirements of a STAR 3 program, plus:
  • Activities designed to encourage communication, both written and verbal, occur naturally in the day.
  • Parental and community resources are used effectively in the delivery of quality child care.
  • Business, organizational, and staff compensation practices are maximized.
  • A review of the facility by nationally recognized program observation tools that indicates a high-quality score
Please contact your local ELRC for assistance.
Please email RA-ocdearlylearning@pa.gov for assistance.
If the provider you are interested in is displayed as "Not Enrolling", contact the provider directly to determine when they will be accepting new enrollments.
The provider has not indicated they have openings at this time and encourages the parent/caretakers to call them to ask about their availability.
If you are unable to find a provider that meets the needs of your family, please contact your local ELRC for assistance.
Pennsylvania's regional Early Learning Resource Centers ("ELRC") provide a single access point for families, early learning service providers, and communities to gain information and access services that support children and families with the ultimate goal of improving the quality, accessibility, and affordability of early learning services in Pennsylvania. The ELRC offer child care subsidies to working families, while providing through Keystone STARS, a full range of technical assistance and grant awards to quality child care programs.
A Child Care Center is a facility that provides care for 7 or more children at the same time, unrelated to the operator.

A Family Child Care Home is a home other than the child's own home, operated for profit or not-for-profit, where child day care is provided to 4 - 6 children at once, unrelated to the operator.

A Group Child Care Home is a facility that provides care for 7 - 15 school-aged children (4th grade - 15 years old) at the same time, or 7 - 12 children of another age level at the same time, unrelated to the operator.The facility may be located in a residence or another premises.
The maximum capacity is the licensed limit, based on child care regulations, for the number of children allowed in care for a provider's service location at any one time. If the maximum capacity shows as 999, this indicates the provider serves school age children in a school location and maximum capacity does not apply.
Child Care Works/Subsidy Participation:
The subsidized child care program helps low-income families pay their child care fees. The state and federal governments fund this program, which is managed by the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) office located in your county.

Child Welfare Agency/DHS Participation: Some providers offer availability for foster children or children in protective services.

Scholarships/United Way/Sliding Fee Scales: Some providers offer their own forms of financial assistance to families. Possibilities include: discounts for multiple children, or referral and recruitment of new families; exemptions from annual re-application fees, or other special fees; and partial or short-term scholarships for low-income families or emergency situations. If a provider operates on sliding fee scales, tuition/fees are tiered based on gross family income.
The providers displayed in your search result are randomly ordered each time you run a search. However, if you search using a full address, the providers displayed in your results will be ordered from nearest to farthest.
If you do not see this email after 24 hours, please check your spam folder. If it is not there, reach out to the provider through the contact information on their Provider Details page.
Reporting Inaccurate Provider Information
If you are a citizen seeing inaccurate provider information, please contact your local ELRC.
If you are a Child Care Provider, you can log into Provider Self Service (PSS) to update your information.
If you are an Early Learning Program Provider, please e-mail:RA-ocdearlylearning@pa.gov.
Submitting a Provider Complaint
If you need to report a provider-related complaint, please use the hyperlink: Submit a Complaint or Incident.
To submit a complaint for an Early Learning Program such as Early Head Start, Head Start, Early Intervention, Private Academic School (PDE Preschool), PA Pre-K Counts, Parent-Child Home Program, or School District Pre-Kindergarten, please e-mail: RA-ocdearlylearning@pa.gov
Printing
You can print multiple providers through the My List screen. When you see a provider you are interested in, add them to My List by selecting the Add to My List hyperlink. Once you have added providers, click the View My List hyperlink located on the Search Results screen. From the My List screen, you can generate a Summary or Detail report, which can be downloaded to your device.

Another way to print the details of a specific provider is by selecting More Details from the Search Results screen, navigating to their Provider Details screen and select the Print button.
To print the directions, expand the menu to the left of the Maps search bar and select Print.
Early Learning Programs
To view a description of each Early Learning Program, Click Here.
For more information on how to choose a quality program, please refer to Choosing the right daycare / Child Care / Early Learning Program for your family

To talk with a parent counselor, please contact your your local ELRC.
Curriculums are a body of material that define the content to be taught and the methods to be used. Information is organized on a specific topic; a set of topic-specific information created for a defined group.
An assessment is an ongoing process of observing a child's current competencies (including knowledge, skills, dispositions and attitudes) and using the information to help the child develop further in the context of family, caregiving and learning environments. Not a "test", but rather a systematic procedure / process for obtaining information from observations, interviews, portfolios, projects, tests and other sources that can be used to make judgements about children's characteristics.
Compatibility
You can access information regarding browser compatibility via the hyperlink Browser Compatibility located at the bottom of the screen.
Resources
Practical Everyday Tips
Development TipsHealth and Safety TipsHealth and Human Services Benefits
Learn about specific health and human services programs or benefits for which you may qualify such as PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, subsidized child care, child support, etc. through COMPASS.