A new study by Research for Action, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that seeks to use research as the basis for the improvement of educational opportunities and outcomes, is an early, exploratory dive into Pennsylvania’s non-traditional child care field.
As the number of jobs that require non-traditional work schedules (evenings, weekends, and overnight) increases, families’ need for child care during non-traditional hours has also grown. Yet little is known about the availability of non-traditional child care (NTCC) in Pennsylvania or about the following questions:
- What types of families rely on NTCC?
- What factors inform a family’s decisions about where to place their children?
- How well are NTCC providers meeting the needs of families?
- What does high-quality mean in the context of after-hours, overnight, and weekend care?
- What impact does the availability of NTCC, or lack thereof, have on Pennsylvania’s workforce?
Key findings suggest that one in three Pennsylvania families with young children (approximately 150,000 families) have a likely need for NTCC.
Read the full report titled, “Making it Work: Examining the Status of Non-Traditional Child Care in Pennsylvania” that includes more key findings and considerations for policy and future research: HERE