Feb. 21, 2023

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OCDEL Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships (EHSCCP) Request For Applications (RFA)

Application deadline: March 20, 2023

In 2015 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was awarded an Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (EHSCCP) grant. The grant provides partnership opportunities to high quality child care providers to serve 324 income eligible infants and toddlers in their community.


Applications are being accepted for up to 40 slots (total amount available) by providers who are interested.


Eligible partners will:

  • Have and maintain a STAR 3 or 4 rating.
  • Provide full day (10 hours or more), full year, care to infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks – 3 years of age) who’s families are income eligible and are working or in school.
  • Adhere to all Head Start Program Performance Standards and OCDEL Early Head Start (EHS) policies including meeting a staff to child ratio of 1:4, a maximum group size of 8 children, providing two qualified staff in the room at all times, no matter the number of children, and assign children to primary care groups to contribute to practices related to continuity of care.
  • Retain or hire qualified staff to work in EHS classrooms. To work in an EHS classroom staff must have a minimum of an Infant Toddler CDA, and/or an AA degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field with a minimum of 9 credits specific to infants and toddlers.
  • Facilitate time for staff to engage in coaching with an OCDEL EHS Coach on an ongoing basis.
  • Maintain full enrollment and fill vacant slots within 30 days.
  • Participate in Child Care Works (CCW) and continue to provide care to children who lose their CCW until they transition from the program. Children may not be unenrolled due to loss of subsidy.
  • Utilize GoEngage data system (previously known as MyHeadStart)
  • Work collaboratively with the comprehensive service provider (hub) who holds their contract if there is one.
  • Waive any fees typically charged to enrolled families except for subsidy co-pays.


Providers who are willing to meet the criteria above are encouraged to complete an application for consideration. Applications and scoring rubrics can be found on The Pennsylvania Key website.


Applications can be submitted to ehsteam@pakeys.org by Monday, March 20, 2023, by close of business.


Questions regarding the requirements of the grant, completing the application or general information about EHSCCP can be answered or addressed by the OCDEL Early Head Start Team during a question and answer session on Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 11:00-12:30. To access the meeting, please use following information:

Zoom link

Meeting ID: 919 3497 2717

Passcode: 487445

One tap mobile

+13052241968,,91934972717# US    +13092053325,,91934972717# US

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