OCDEL Issues Guidance for Child Care During COVID-19

This article was updated on July 8, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.

As Pennsylvania transitions into a reopening phase, the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has issued guidance on operating a child care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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OCDEL recommends that child care facilities that are open or that are preparing to reopen should follow the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH). The guidance details the steps providers are recommended to follow in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on child care facilities.

Topics addressed in this guidance include:

  1. Reopening

  2. Transmission and Symptoms of COVID-19

  3. Practices, Policies, and Procedures for Consideration

  4. Social Distancing in the Child Care Setting

  5. Face Masks

  6. Dealing with confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and exposure to COVID-19

  7. Reporting

  8. Additional Resources

Providers can review the guidance document in its entirety online: Interim Guidance for Certified Child Care Facilities operating during the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, OCDEL (PDF).

Questions or concerns should be directed to the regional OCDEL office at:

Western Region OCDEL
11 Stanwix Street, Room 240
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Telephone: (412) 565-5183
Toll Free: (800) 222-2149
Fax: (412) 565-2658

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