Child Care

Early Intervention Services is the term used to describe the services and supports that are available to babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families.

Eligibility for early intervention services is based on an evaluation of your child’s skills and abilities. If you, your child’s doctor, or other care provider is concerned about your child’s development, ask to be connected with your state or territory’s early intervention program to find out if your child can get services to help. If your doctor is not able to connect you, you can reach out yourself. A doctor’s referral is not necessary.

• Alliance for Infants and Toddler (0-3 years, countywide):  (412) 885-6000

• Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Project DART (3-5 years, excludes City of Pittsburgh)

Head Start programs provide low-income families with free learning and development services for their children ages birth to 5. All programs welcome children with disabilities. Some Early Head Start programs also provide prenatal services for pregnant women. Families with household income at or below the poverty level may qualify for this program. Families who receive public assistance (TANF, SSI, or SNAP), and those with children in foster care or children who are homeless, also qualify regardless of income.

The Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts pre-kindergarten program, established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will make quality pre-kindergarten opportunities available to children and families across the commonwealth. Children and their guardians must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the PA Pre K Counts program:

1. They must be residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

2. They must meet the income eligibility requirements of at or below 300% of the federal poverty level for their family size

3. The child must be between the age of 3 and younger than the Kindergarten entry age for the district that they reside in

4. Once these eligibility requirements are met, enrollment procedures are based on local community needs.  These procedures may contain other considerations for enrollment, such as; diagnosed disabilities or developmental delays,  English as a second language, or any other factor that the program deems as a priority to ensure that their communities’ needs are being served.

The subsidized child care program helps low-income families pay their child care fees. The state and federal governments fund this program, which is managed by the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) office located in your county.