The 2025-26 Pennsylvania budget makes significant investments in addressing the child care accessibility and workforce crisis in the Commonwealth.
First, the budget includes $25 million for recruitment and retention bonuses for child care workers. It also increases funding for the Pre-K Counts program by $7.5 million. Together, these steps aim to strengthen child care services across the state.
In 2023, the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission reported that limited child care access costs the Commonwealth about $6.65 billion each year in lost wages and revenue. When parents cannot find reliable child care, they often cannot work. As a result, businesses struggle to fill open jobs and the economy slows. Today, Pennsylvania has about 3,000 open child care positions, so improving this workforce remains essential to our continued economic growth.
The Harrisburg Regional Chamber has long advocated for measures to improve access to child care in Pennsylvania, and we are encouraged to see the Governor and General Assembly take meaningful action. These investments will support families, help employers, and continue to drive our regional economy forward.
About the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
For 140 years, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC has served as the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity. The organization combines business, community, and economic development services to enhance the region’s vitality and livability. The Chamber is a five-star accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a distinction held by fewer than 1 percent of chambers nationwide. CREDC is the Certified Economic Development Organization for Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties
The Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) is the economic development arm of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and the Certified Economic Development Organization (CEDO) approved by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development to perform economic development activities using Pennsylvania’s funding programs in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
