Pa. will distribute additional funds to child care centers

State officials announced they will distribute an additional $53 million in federal funds this month to support child care centers in Pennsylvania hit hard by COVID19 shutdowns, decreased revenues and increased costs.

State human services officials distributed $51 million in funds to child care providers in June and also announced Monday an additional $116 million would be available to providers in the coming months, for a total of $220 million.

The child care sector has been walloped by a combination of mandated closures and loss of parent tuition payments, along with costs to reopen such as sanitizing and cleaning expenses, and decreased revenues from some parents reluctant to return their children to a group setting.

Statewide, 65 child care providers have permanently closed since February, according to information from the Department of Human Services released Monday.

“While we do not know how this pandemic will look in a week, a month or a year, we know that a healthy, robust child care system will be critical to weather the economic recovery ahead,” DHS Secretary Teresa Miller said Monday, announcing the aid at a Harrisburg child care center.

Advocates said the funds are critical to ensure child care is available to support working families as the economy recovers

“As families go back to work, we know that they can’t do so without the backbone of a strong child care system,” said Cara Ciminillo, executive director of advocacy group Trying Together. “Our child care system was fragile prior to the pandemic. With the added stress of COVID-19 — and depending on how long this pandemic impacts our daily lives — our child care system is in serious risk. We applaud our federal and state policymakers in their efforts to ensure child care is supported and look forward to continued efforts to not only ensure that our child care system survives but that it thrives.”

Kate Giammarise: 412-263-3909.