COVID-19 Resources

As we progress through this extraordinary time, we are here to serve as a resource for PennAEYC members and the early care and education community. Please know we are trying to share anything coming out of government that could be helpful, recognizing each program or concept may not help everyone.

Pennsylvania has created a website to centralize information that pertains to the majority of residents https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.

NAEYC has released a statement on how essential child care is in these unprecedented times https://www.firstup.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/COVID-19-NAEYC-Statement-3.15.20.pdf and has posted a page with other resources Coping with COVID-19

US Chamber of Commerce COVID19 Small Business Loan Guide The guide is based on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses.

OCDEL Announcements and Information

Provisional Hire Waiver Application
OCDEL asks that if you plan to submit a provisional hire waiver please do so by sending an email to the RA account RA-PWDRACERT@PA.GOV and not through postal mail or fax.
 
Additional Announcements, FAQs and Waiver details
*OCDEL has noted that documents will be updated and re-released on a recurring basis as new information becomes available. 

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PennAEYC Email Messages
 
Advocating for Early Education Providers

PennAEYC joins our partners in the Start Strong PA campaign in advocating for funding to stabilize the child care system. Read the press release, Pennsylvania’s Child Care System in Urgent Need of Stimulus to Prevent Collapse.  Take action by clicking this link.

Here is the link to Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA COVID-19 Stimulus Recommendations – Updated 3-31-2020 for Governor Wolf and General Assembly. 

We are encouraging the PA General Assembly and Wolf Administration to enact the following emergency appropriations and legislation as part of any stimulus package to stabilize our early learning system and enable Pennsylvania’s economic recovery:
  1. Continue to pay child care subsidies and contract payments to Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs for the duration of the crisis.
  2. Provide $17 million to compensate for the share of revenues that would otherwise have been collected as child care subsidy copays until child care services are restored to normal.
  3. Provide $100 million to support the continued financial viability of child care providers that rely in part, or in full, on tuition payments directly from parents. 
  4. Appropriate $50 million to extend Pre-K Counts and Head Start programs through the summer to stem early childhood learning losses for students. 
  5. Passing legislation to impose an immunity from tort liability associated with claims related to COVID-19 to all Commonwealth-certified child care providers that are authorized to continue to operate pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order/Declaration of Emergency.
  6. Prohibiting any adjustments to employer unemployment compensation experience ratings associated with any claims paid as a result of child care centers’ compliance with Commonwealth COVID-19 guidance or directives.
  7. Decreasing the risk of subsequent infection by requiring every child care and other early childhood education program to attend free training on the practices needed to sanitize all spaces in which children and early learning staff are working before programs can be reopened.
 
General Resources

We encourage you to continue to consult these resources for updates on COVID-19, information on staying healthy, and updates on the situation in Pennsylvania.

We also encourage you to visit www.sharedsourcepa.org for helpful resources that you can use with families and staff to reduce the level of anxiety, communicate what is known to be most appropriate health, hygiene and safety practices, as well as interim guidance for child care businesses.

 
Resources for Providers and Parents

Our partners at NAEYC host a a site for families, NAEYC for Families. Our partners in Southeast PA at First Up: Champions for Early Education has a list of parent resources. Also, our partners in Southwest PA at Trying Together host a parent page.