Choosing Quality Child Care

Choosing child care is a very important decision. The quality of care your child receives can impact their safety, learning, social skills, and readiness for kindergarten. This guide helps you compare child care options and know what to look for during visits. You can bring it with you when touring programs.

Instructions for choosing child care:

Practical considerations

  • What type of child care works best for your family?

    • Child care center

    • Care provided by a friend, family member, or neighbor

  • Does the child care facility participate in Keystone STARS in Pennsylvania?

  • Is the location convenient?

  • Do the hours of operation meet your needs?

  • Make sure the program is licensed. Licensed child care programs are required to meet state standards for health, safety, and staffing. This helps ensure your child is in a safe and supervised environment.

Visit the child care facility

Safety

  • Is the space clean and safe?

  • Is there enough space for the number of children enrolled?

  • Are children always supervised? What is the child/staff ratio?

  • Are medicines and cleaning supplies locked away?

  • Are staff aware of children’s allergies or medical needs?

  • Are meals and snacks healthy and appropriate for children?

  • Are infants held while feeding? (Bottles should not be propped)

  • Is the outdoor play area safe and fenced?

  • Are staff trained in first aid and CPR?

  • Are bathrooms and changing areas clean?

  • Do staff and children wash their hands regularly?

  • Are emergency contact forms required?

  • Is identification required for pick-up?

  • What is the sick policy?

  • Does the program have a plan to support children with medical, developmental, or behavioral needs?

Learning

  • Does the staff have experience and education in early childhood development?

  • Does the staff appear to enjoy caring for the children?

  • Do the children in the facility appear happy?

  • Do the children have a variety of toys, books, and craft materials available?

  • Do the children have a consistent routine that they follow?

  • Is screen time (TV/tablets) limited or avoided?

  • Are children involved in activities that promote learning, including play?

  • Is learning individualized for children who need it?

  • Are parents able to be involved?

  • Are progress reports or daily information about the child’s day provided?

  • Does the staff work well together?

  • Does the program have a parent handbook with policies and expectations?

  • Does the program have a suspension or expulsion policy?

  • Does the program have supports to communicate with and include families, even if English is not the primary language spoken at home?

Understanding quality child care in Pennsylvania and other states

In Pennsylvania, many child care programs participate in Keystone STARS, a quality rating and improvement system.

  • Programs are rated from STAR 1 to STAR 4

  • Higher STAR levels indicate higher quality standards

Keystone STARS looks at:

  • Staff education and training

  • Classroom and learning environment

  • Family and community engagement

  • Leadership and program management

  • Health and safety practices

Programs that participate in STARS are:

  • Licensed by the state

  • Focused on providing a safe, supportive learning environment

  • Committed to ongoing improvement

Participation in STARS is not the only way to tell quality, but it can be a helpful tool when comparing options.

Instructions for finding child care:

Pennsylvania – Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC)

ELRCs can help you:

  • Find child care programs

  • Apply for child care subsidy

  • Understand your options

Philadelphia (ELRC 18)
Toll free: 1-888-535-2209
Local: 610-480-3190

Address: 4601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139

Location two: 2801 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114

Montgomery County (ELRC Region 17)
Toll-Free: 1-800-281-1116

Phone: (610) 278-3707

1430 Dekalb St.
Norristown, PA 19404-0311

Delaware County (ELRC 15)
Toll free: 1-888-535-2217
Local: 610-480-3191

Address: 2098 West Chester Pike, Suite 102
Broomall, PA 19008

Chester (ELRC 19)
Toll free: 1-888-535-2209
Local: 484-593-5050

Address: 455 Boot Rd, Downingtown, PA 19335

All other Pennsylvania counties:
1-888-461-KIDS (5437)
www.findchild care.pa.gov

Other states

Many states have similar quality rating systems to help families choose child care.

New Jersey – Grow NJ Kids

Delaware – Delaware Stars for Early Success

Maryland – Maryland EXCELS

New York – QUALITYstarsNY

For families outside of Pennsylvania, visit Child Care Aware (www.child careaware.org) and select your state to learn more about child care and how to locate quality options near you.

 

Reviewed March 2026 Sherita Williams MS, PHMA