Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Childcare
State Requirements



Worker Qualifications

Group Supervisor: Must be at least 18 years old and have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field; or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 1 year of experience with children; or an Associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 2 years of experience with children; or an Associate's degree from an accredited college or university, including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 3 years of experience with children.

Licensure or Approval of Facilities and Agencies. This regulation provides the rules regarding applying for a certificate of compliance (license), frequency and content of DHS inspections, preparing and issuing a certificate of compliance, conditions under which a certificate of compliance may be denied, not renewed, or revoked and the DHS licensure or approval decisions that may be appealed.

Child Care Centers: This regulation provides the rules regarding operation of a child day care center. A child care center is a facility in which seven or more children unrelated to the operator receive child care services. A child day care center must have a certificate of compliance (license) from DHS in order to operate.

Group Child Care Homes: This regulation provides the rules regarding operation of a group day care home. A group care home is a facility in which seven to 12 children unrelated to the operator receive child care services. A group day care home must have a certificate of compliance (license) from DHS in order to operate.

Family Child Care Homes: This regulation provides the rules regarding operation of a family care home. A family day care home is a facility in which four, five or six children unrelated to the operator receive child care services. A family care home must be located in a home and must have a certificate of registration from DHS in order to operate.

Provider /Child Ratio:

Age Range Ratio For Center-based Care
Age of Children Child: Staff Ratio/ Maximum Group Size
6 weeks - 9 months (4:1) 8
18 months (5:1) 10
27 months (6:1) 12
3 years - 5 years (10:1) 20
6 years - 7 years (12:1) 24
8 years - 9 years (12:1 or 15:1) 24/30
10 years and older (15:1) 30
Small Family Child Care Homes Pennsylvania State Ratios
Number of Children Allowed:

4-6

Maximum Number of Children to One Provider:

6

Provider's Own Children Counted:

Yes, if infants and/or toddlers

Max Number of Infants/Toddlers to One Provider:

3 toddlers if 2 infants
4 toddlers if 1 infant
5 toddlers if no infants

Large Family Child Care Homes Pennsylvania State Ratios
Number of Children Allowed:

7-12 (plus 3 school-age children)

Ratio of Children to One Provider:

See State Notes

Provider's Own Children Counted:

Yes


Contact Information
Licensing Agency
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Office of Child Development
Bureau of Certification Services
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675
Phone: (717) 346-9320
Toll Free: (877) 4-PA-KIDS
(877-472-5437, within State)
Fax: (717) 346-9330
Pennsylvania Daycare Listings
Child Care Subsidy Agency
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Office of Child Development
Room 521, Health and Welfare Building
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675
Phone: (717) 346-9320
Toll Free: (877) 4-PA-KIDS
(877-472-5437, within State)
Fax: (717) 346-9330

Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA, 17126-0333
Phone: (717) 787-7489
Fax: (717) 783-8230

Child Care Food Program Agency
Department of Education
Bureau of Budget and Fiscal Management
333 Market Street, 4th Floor
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126-0333
Phone: (717) 787-7698
Fax: (717) 783-6566
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
Pennsylvania Child Care Association
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 103
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 657-9000
Fax: (717) 657-0959

Office of Child Support Enforcement
Bureau of Child Support Enforcement
Department of Public Welfare
P.O.Box 8018
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8018
Phone: (800) 932-0211
Fax: (717) 787-9706

Child Abuse Reporting
To report suspected child abuse in Pennsylvania, call (800) 932-0313.
For national child abuse information, call the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (staffed 24 hours daily with professional crisis counselors): 1-800-4-A-CHILD or 1-800-2-A-CHILD (T.D.D)
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