March 2022 Child Care Staffing Survey Results

A survey conducted by partners of the Start Strong PA Campaign quantifies Pennsylvania’s current child care  staffing crisis — caused by low wages.

Survey Results

The survey — conducted between March 8, 2022 and April 3, 2022 — details the current child care staffing crisis in 1,163 Pennsylvania child care programs across 63 counties and its effects on working families' ability to access care.

According to the survey:

  • Nearly 32,500 children currently sit on waiting lists.

  • More than 30,000 additional children could be served at respondents’ sites if they were fully staffed.

  • 91% of respondents reported staffing shortages.

  • Programs need to fill nearly 7,000 open child care positions.

  • 48% of respondents have closed at least one classroom.

According to responses from the 150 Allegheny County programs that took the survey:

  • 89% indicated they have a staffing shortage.

  • 7,482 children sit on waiting lists.

  • 242 classrooms have closed.

  • programs need to fill 910 open positions.

  • An additional 4,380 children could be served if all programs were fully staffed.

In September 2021, Start Strong PA released a similar survey showing that Pennsylvania’s child care centers were experiencing a staffing shortage resulting in more than 25,000 children sitting on waiting lists. In just six months, the waiting list numbers have increased by nearly 10,000 children with 169 fewer providers reporting.

For more information, visit the Start Strong PA website or see the Statewide Fact Sheet and Allegheny County Fact Sheet.

NewsHeidi Winkler