BRISTOL, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Gov. Josh Shapiro visited a child care facility in Bristol on Wednesday to highlight new recruitment and retention bonuses for child care workers in the commonwealth.
As Pennsylvania faces a child care workforce crisis, with 3,000 unfilled jobs, the 2025-26 state budget secures $25 million for a new child care retention and recruitment program that will provide a bonus to licensed child care workers. Shapiro said the allotment is a first in more than 20 years since pre-K counts began, and child care now has its own dedicated line item in the state budget.
“This isn’t something I’m hopeful for. This isn’t something that is aspirational. This is something we got done,” said Shapiro. “This is law in Pennsylvania, and people are benefiting from that hard work. And it represented a huge step forward when it comes to affording child care.
“As a result of that work, 55,000 child care workers across Pennsylvania will get a bonus of up to $450 in recognition of the important work that they do,” he added.
State Secretary of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh cited a recent study that showed Pennsylvania loses more than $6.6 billion annually in economic activity because parents cannot consistently access high-quality child care.
“The benefits of high-quality child care to our kids, their parents and caregivers, and to our economy are not possible without a thriving workforce of child care professionals. They are invaluable,” she stressed.
Valerie Hamilton, owner and operator of Children of God Educational Services in Bristol, said the $25 million is half of what workers pushed lawmakers for, but they are grateful.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” she said. “More is needed, but since we have a line item in the budget, more can happen. We just have to advocate and ask for it.”
Recruiting new talent has always been a challenge, she said, so the new incentives will help.
“This new incentive gives me hope for the future of the child care industry and makes me excited to continue this career, hopefully for a long time,” said Madison, a 17-year-old high school student who attended the child care center and is now an employee. “Child care might not be the highest paid, but it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Shapiro added that this investment complements the expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and the Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit.