Child care is essential work – these providers are the people who help keep our communities running. But for too long, they’ve been underpaid and undervalued. Rooted & Rising will bring together child care providers, early childhood educators, and advocates from across the Lehigh Valley to build power and create real change.

Because providers can’t be expected to carry the weight of the system alone.

Join us on Saturday, November 21 to connect with fellow educators, share your voice, and help shape the movement for living wages, sustainable working conditions, and accessible child care for all families in PA.

The goal is to make the case for why POWER is organizing around child care, while making sure providers themselves are at the center of the story.

We’re having open conversations about people’s lived experiences  At our community meeting, faith leaders and residents gathered to put the realities of working families before those seeking to represent Senate District 24. 

Afterwards, we collected personal stories that show what care costs and why people want to see change and  we’re continuing that conversation. 

Your experience belongs in this conversation. How have healthcare costs, caregiving responsibilities, or everyday expenses affected your life? Share your story and help shape what we call on public officials to address.

1. When families can’t find reliable care, parents’ ability to work and businesses’ ability to retain employees are affected. Child care is part of Pennsylvania’s economic infrastructure.

2. Providers make the system possible

Family child care providers do more than care for children. They run small businesses, support working families, nurture early development, and hold communities together.

3. Providers deserve a voice and a seat at the table

Providers understand the challenges and opportunities in the child care system firsthand. Their experiences and leadership should help shape what comes next.

1. 80,000+ infants and toddlers in Pennsylvania lack access to high-quality child care programs.

2. Gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system cost the state’s economy $6.4 billion annually, according to a report by ReadyNation

This includes $4.9 billion in lost earnings for working parents and $1.5 billion in lost productivity for businesses.

3. The average hourly wage for child care workers in Pennsylvania is $14.49/hour

The average hourly wage for child care workers in Pennsylvania is $14.49 per hour (equaling a median annual income of about $30,140), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 data.

4. According to a 2026 report by ReadyNation and PA Partnerships for Children, child care availability and affordability significantly strain working families and Pennsylvania’s economy. 

According to a 2026 report by ReadyNation and PA Partnerships for Children, child care availability and affordability significantly strain working families and Pennsylvania’s economy. [1, 2]

Key Findings from the Study

• Availability Challenges: 86% of surveyed Pennsylvania parents with children under age five reported that finding child care is a challenge in some way. [1]
• Workplace Impacts:
  • 43% of parents reduced their work hours because of child care issues (an increase from 35% in 2022).
  • More than half reported missing work, arriving late, or leaving early.
  • 33% faced reduced pay or hours, and 15% were fired due to child care challenges. [1]
• Affordability Pressures:
  • 41% of parents spend more on child care than they do on housing.
  • 29% report child care costs that are roughly equal to their housing expenses. [1]
• Economic Cost: Gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system cost the state’s economy well over $6 billion every year. [1]

5. One additional statistic that connects directly to family child care: Child Care Aware of America’s 2024 Pennsylvania price data put average annual infant care in a family child care home at $10,994, compared with $14,910 in a center. This helps show the role home-based providers play in the child care landscape.

Join us November 21st from 9am-5pm at the Renaissance in Allentown PA! Register today for our free to attend event