Suspension of Regulatory Requirements for Certified Child Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Announcement: C-20-04 Suspension of
Regulatory Requirements for Certified
Child Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the Announcement: C-20-04 Suspension of Regulatory Requirements for Certified Child Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This document announces that the Department of Human Services (Department) has suspended certain regulations in 55 Pa. Code Chapters 3270, 3280 and 3290 effective March 6, 2020. The suspension remains in place while the Disaster Proclamation is in effect or such other time as the Department directs.
On March 6, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency to enable agencies to respond promptly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the impact of COVID-19 mitigation efforts on certified child care facilities and with the Governor’s authorization as conferred in the Disaster Proclamation, the Department has temporarily suspended the regulatory provisions in 55 Pa. Code Chapters 3270, 3280, 3290.
The child care regulations in Chapters 3270, 3280, and 3290 include requirements that the child care provider must document in order to ensure the health and safety of children. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mitigation measures have greatly impacted certified child care facility operations and ability to comply with some regulatory requirements. Many of the requirements in Chapters 3270, 3280 and 3290 are dependent on the availability of other entities such as medical professionals and training institutions, as well as a steady rate of attendance of children and communication with parents. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) realizes that certified child care facilities cannot demonstrate compliance with certain regulations.
