Allegheny County’s 2025 Budget Offers Opportunity for Regional Child Care
The proposed 2025 Allegheny County budget offers an incredible opportunity for our region’s children and families. We urge council members to continue investments in child care and other critical human services that lift up families and enable them to thrive. The progress of young children, families, and our region’s economic growth depends on it.?
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Allegheny County residents value giving children a strong start through accessible and affordable child care. Nearly 19,000 county residents shared their priorities through the All-In Community survey and made it clear that access and affordable child care (40%) and increased pay for child care workers (31%) matters.
When the early learning sector struggles, there is a ripple effect. Our working families struggle, our businesses struggle, our local economy struggles.?
In a September survey from Start Strong PA, child care programs in Allegheny County reported 373 open positions, resulting in 128 closed classrooms. If those programs were fully staffed, 2,977 more children could be served. This is only a snapshot of about 20% of programs that responded across the county.
Families in Allegheny County rely on child care and early learning programs. Child care providers are the workforce behind the workforce and necessary infrastructure for economic development and for Allegheny County to realize its full potential.?
We are grateful for the investments that Allegheny County has made in child care thus far. In January, the Allegheny County Executive directed an additional $500,000 to expand the Allegheny County Child Care Matters pilot program, which enabled additional families on a waiting list to receive subsidized child care.?
The Allegheny County Child Care Matters pilot program currently supports around 400 children. There is still more work to be done. The program has the potential to cover up to 15,000 children if fully funded.
We support the proposed 2025 budget to invest in the services needed for children, families, and our communities to thrive. The impact of county investments will allow the county to unlock more state and federal funding and enable more children and families to have access to affordable, high-quality child care and other important human services programming.
Take Action
Take action and send your county council members an email to let them know you want the county to keep investing in child care and elevating the region’s working families and youngest children.?
Updates on Education and Workforce priorities for Allegheny County can be found here. You can find your county council district online.
For more information, read the 2025 Budget Highlights for Allegheny County as well as the 2025 County Budget Toolkit.
About Trying Together
Trying Together envisions a future in which all caregivers of young children feel valued for their work. When we inspire belonging among caregivers, we inspire belonging within them. Our inclusive approach to advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities strives to place diversity, equity, and racial justice at the core of everything we do.
Learn more about Trying Together by visiting our website or connecting with us on social media.