Overview
You can file complaints two ways:
File an Online Complaint
You can file a complaint using the DHS Certification & Licensing online form.
Contact a Regional Child Development Office
Contact the appropriate DHS Regional Child Development Office. Each regional office is assigned responsibility for certain counties in Pennsylvania. Regional office staff investigates complaints about child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes that do not follow the regulatory requirements for operating a facility.
Child Care Resources
Child Care & Clearances
CareCheck is the Department of Human Services program that requires State Police criminal history and child abuse background clearances for all relative providers. In addition to CareCheck, relatives must obtain Federal criminal history clearances.
Relatives who care for three or fewer children, not including their own children, are not required to have a state license but can receive subsidized child care funding. Relatives who participate as providers for the subsidized child care are required to complete CareCheck.
Relatives are defined as grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings of the child. All relative providers must be 18 years of age or older and live in a residence separate from the residence of the child for whom they will provide care.
The relative provider must pay the cost of the Federal criminal history clearance. Relatives must complete CareCheck and Federal criminal history clearances to be eligible to be paid through the Subsidized Child Care Program.