We highly recommend you have this resource when you begin your child-care search. The information provided by each county's cooperative extension is also available in a comprehensive list from the Department of Public Welfare. For parents seeking an educational component, many larger day-care centers offer nursery school or preschool programs. So, when choosing a center, you might consider one where your child can grow into and through a preschool experience without changing centers. A note about alternative types of day care is in order.
Many women care for children of friends or friends of friends in their homes.
Other women advertise in the local papers and on bulletin boards in local supermarkets. Most centers and homes prefer that sick children be kept at home. It is important to check with the center or home for specific sick-child guidelines. There are certifications and licenses required by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare that ensure all day-care programs meet state standards. Preschools or nursery schools are licensed by the Department of Education, Non-Public and Private Schools Division.