Governor Wolf has proposed moving Philadelphia county to the yellow phase of his re-opening plan, effective June 5, 2020 . Child care programs in counties in the Yellow Phase are free to operate without a waiver.
If you have remained closed during the Governor’s proclamation , you have much to consider when deciding whether to open your facility or not. This email contains important information from both the state and the City of Philadelphia to help you with your planning.
Please follow the steps below by June 12, 2020, to ensure your program’s status is correctly reflected in public searches for child care.
First, please refer to the email from Tuesday, May 12, 2020, for information to help evaluate your program’s ability to safely open.
Programs operating on a waiver: You do not need to notify Certification and you may continue to operate as you have been. You will appear in COMPASS searches and the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) will refer families to your program as appropriate.
Programs closed and now opening: You do not need to notify Certification and you may open as of June 5, 2020. You will appear in COMPASS searches and the ELRC will refer families to your program as appropriate.
Programs delaying opening: Please email RA-PWOCDELFacilclose@pa.gov your decision to delay opening and temporarily remain closed. You will still appear in COMPASS searches, but the ELRC will not refer families.
Programs permanently closing: Please notify the regional OCDEL Certification office and return your certificate of compliance. You will no longer appear in COMPASS searches and the ELRC will not refer families.
Additional Resources Provided by the City of Philadelphia, Office of Children and Families
Licensed child care facilities in Philadelphia are being provided additional guidance from the city’s Department of Public Health and Office of Children and Families to develop policies and procedures to share with families and staff. Please see two valuable resources below for you to effectively reopen. If you are unsure of your ability to meet these guidelines, you can request a site visit by the Department of Public Health to analyze your site’s status and walk through additional considerations by calling 215-685-7495.
These are the initial health department guidelines as we enter the yellow zone. This document will be modified as the pandemic and science evolves.
- Additional Resources which include a sample symptom screener, a sample letter to send home if a child becomes ill, and a sample parent/guardian agreement to sign upon re-opening.