Child Care Options

Students raising children while attending college face extra challenges. The University Student Life Office is here to help! Below you will find a list of resources and guides for child care, parenting tips, and more. If you would like any more information about parenting and child care options in Philadelphia, please stop by our offices or contact us at (215) 762-1400.

If you are seeking child care funding, please be ready to show proof of income, including earned and financial aid, when contacting agencies.  In most cases, you will have to show your student status, including whether you are full time or part-time.

Click here to print our Parenting and Child Care Guide (PDF file) or check the links to helpful websites below.

Child Care Information Services of Philadelphia
CCISP helps with finding, selecting, and paying for child care in the Philadelphia region. Their website also has a helpful handbook on subsidized child care.
Phone: 1-888-461-KIDS

Children’s Advocacy Project of Philadelphia
CAP educates families about their rights and has a wealth of resources and helpful handouts on their website.

Comprehensive Day Care
Comprehensive Day Care Centers are located in public schools, churches and community centers. They are sponsored by the School District and licensed by the state. The programs offer 12 month programs for three, four and five (if not yet in Kindergarten) year old children with limited number of spaces available for infants and toddlers. There are eligibility requirements for enrollment in the program.
Phone: (215) 351-7200 or (215) 400-4270

Family Care Solutions
FCS has various programs and resources on child care services for low-income families in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Phone: (215) 228-0200

Go City Kids - Philadelphia
A great website for Philadelphia families! Information on childcare, entertaining kids, camps, classes, and more.

Helping Hands – A Parenting Resource Directory
An extensive directory of parenting education and family support services, Head Start centers, community family centers, internet resources, and more from the Department of Human Services.
Address: 1515 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 683-4DHS

MetroKids Publications
MetroKids makes online guides for child care and parenting in the Delaware Valley, such as Kids’N Care.
Phone: (215) 291-5560

Online Directory of Child Care Facilities
Find child day care centers and group day care homes close to your neighborhood or work with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s directory.

Pennsylvania Head Start Association
Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program for low-income three, four, and five year olds. It provides children with a developmentally appropriate early childhood education and the services are free.  However, families wishing to enroll must first meet the income eligibility requirements.

Philadelphia Alliance for Better Child Care
Philadelphila ABC is a planning, advocacy and community engagement coalition of early care and education leaders in Philadelphia dedicated to fostering quality care and education for the city’s youngest children. Their website has parenting tips, information on selecting child care, and a printable guide to guides for families.
Address: 1835 Market Street, Suite 420, Philadelphia PA, 19103
Phone: (215) 568-0620 ext. 150

Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth
PCCY has basic overview information on child care funding programs and health care funding for families.
Address: 7 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Phone: (215) 563-5848
E-mail:  info@pccy.org 

Philadelphia Safe and Sound
Safe and Sound has an online guide to after school and youth development programs, which you can search by age group and zip code.  Publications on children’s activities, summer camps, and more are also available on their website.

Philly S.O.S. – Search Online for Services
Visit the City of Philadelphia’s website for a comprehensive guide to social services in Philadelphia, including child care that is searchable by agency, category, and zip code.

TheBeehive.org for Philadelphia
The Beehive has lots of info on child care and schooling, including a homework helpline.
Also, the Beehive helps publish the “Go 2 Guide for School Readiness” with the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, which has a directory of child education options.

The Student Parenting Forum
An online network for Student Parents who have to balance family, school, and life.