We are using cookies to give you the best experience. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in privacy settings.
AcceptPrivacy Settings

OCDEL Programs

What's new? Get the latest early childhood education (ECE) information and resources directly to your inbox.

Through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Pennsylvania has created programs that work together to best serve the diverse needs of young children from pre-natal to school-age and their families. Pennsylvania’s early childhood education system provides a quality framework for all early learning programs in the state, both public and private, to help our young children reach their promise. OCDEL programs align their curriculum and activities to Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood, continue to improve the quality of professionals and programs, and engage families in their children’s growth and development.

Child Care Certification

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) regulates family child care homes, group child care, and child care centers to ensure they provide safe child care.

Child Care Works (CCW)

Through the Child Care Works partnership, eligible families make a co-payment to the child care program in addition to the state subsidy that Child Care Works provides. More than 200,000 children and their families receive Child Care Works subsidy each year. By accepting children receiving Child Care Works subsidy, child care programs can provide quality early learning services to at-risk children in their communities.

Early Intervention (EI)

Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention (EI) program, which serves children with developmental delays or disabilities ages birth to five, provides individualized support and assistance for both child and family. By working to help maximize their development, the program allows participating children to succeed in any early education setting. The services offered are available in all Pennsylvania counties and are provided free of charge.

Head Start (HS) &
Early Head Start (EHS)

Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention (EI) program, which serves children with developmental delays or disabilities ages birth to five, provides individualized support and assistance for both child and family. By working to help maximize their development, the program allows participating children to succeed in any early education setting. The services offered are available in all Pennsylvania counties and are provided free of charge.

Home Visiting

Home visiting programs offer voluntary, family-focused evidence-based programs to expectant parents and families with new babies and young children. Home visiting supports the child and family by buffering the effects of risk factors and stress in the family and promotes infant and child health, fostering healthy child development, preventing child abuse and neglect, and improving school readiness and family self-sufficiency. Evidence shows that when families receive home-based support, their children are born healthier and are less likely to suffer from abuse or neglect.

Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation

Through a reflective, collaborative, problem-solving and capacity-building relationship, mental health consultation encourages adults to build stronger relationships with infants and young children so that they feel safe, supported, and valued.

Keystone STARS

Keystone STARS is Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a continuous quality improvement systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs.

Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PKC)

Through a reflective, collaborative, problem-solving and capacity-building relationship, mental health consultation encourages adults to build stronger relationships with infants and young children so that they feel safe, supported, and valued.

Project LAUNCH

LAUNCH stands for Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health. The main goals are to support young children’s healthy physical, social, emotional and cognitive development, to help strengthen families, and promote parent-child interactions that support healthy development.

Program Quality Assessment (PQA)

Program Quality Assessment (PQA) is a reliable, scientifically validated assessment that reflects research-based, field-tested best practices in early childhood education.

GDPR

  • Google Analytics

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information, including the number of visitors and most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to continually improve our site.