# Pennsylvania child care, camp and ratio rules

Source: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania. Last updated: 2026-10-19.

Checked October 2026 against Pennsylvania's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

### Child care licensing
A DHS certificate of compliance is required for child care centers (7 or more children), group child care homes and family child care homes (4 to 6 children) caring for children 15 and younger for part of a 24-hour day, including before- and after-school care in public or private, for-profit or nonprofit facilities (55 Pa. Code §3270.3).

After-school and recreation programs: Under an OCDEL policy statement (55 Pa. Code §3270.3a), part-day school-age programs for children in kindergarten through age 15 don't need certification if they run fewer than 90 consecutive days a year (most summer camps), operate 2 hours or less a day on 3 or fewer days a week, have a single focus such as basketball or art, are drop-in programs where children come and go, or are PDE-licensed or approved tutoring programs. A certified center that adds school-age children in summer doesn't qualify, and care during instruction hours in nonpublic schools is also exempt. OCDEL restated these rules for school-age programs in school buildings in Announcement C-26-01 (June 2026).

Licensing agency: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Certification Services (https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/departments-offices/ocdel-info/ocdel-bureau-certification-services.html)

### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (before kindergarten) | 1:10 | 20 |
| Young school-age (kindergarten through 3rd grade) | 1:12 | 24 |
| Older school-age (4th grade through age 15) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 55 Pa. Code §3270.51. Pennsylvania uses grade, not age: 'preschool' runs from age 3 until the child enters kindergarten; 'young school-age' is kindergarten until entering 4th grade; 'older school-age' is 4th grade through age 15 (55 Pa. Code §3270.4). Mixed-age groups follow §3270.52.

Sources: 55 Pa. Code §3270.51 (ratios) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.51.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.4 (definitions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.4.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.3a (school-age exemptions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.3a.html); OCDEL Announcement C-26-01 (June 10, 2026) (https://www.pakeys.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FINAL-OCDEL_C-26-01-Applicability-of-Regulations-Accessible.pdf)

### Summer camps
Pennsylvania has no state program license for youth camps. An 'organized camp' (an outdoor group-living program run for 5 or more consecutive days) and campgrounds need a yearly sanitation permit covering water, sewage and toilets from the Department of Health or local health department (28 Pa. Code §§19.1, 19.11). School-age day camps (kindergarten and up) running fewer than 90 consecutive days are usually exempt from child care certification, but that exemption doesn't cover preschool-age children; camp employees and volunteers still need child abuse clearances.

Sources: 28 Pa. Code §19.11 (organized camp permit) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter19/s19.11.html); 28 Pa. Code §19.1 (definitions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter19/s19.1.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.3a (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.3a.html)

### Background checks
Under the Child Protective Services Law, employees of child care and of any program, activity or service where they are responsible for children need three clearances: PA child abuse history, PA State Police criminal record, and an FBI fingerprint check, renewed every 60 months. Certified child care staff and volunteers also need a National Sex Offender Registry check and out-of-state checks if they lived outside PA in the past 5 years. Adult volunteers in youth programs need the child abuse and State Police clearances; the FBI check is needed only if they haven't lived in PA for the full past 10 years (otherwise a signed statement). Provisional hiring for up to 45 days is allowed under set conditions.

Sources: PA DHS: Child Abuse Clearances (https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs/resources/keep-kids-safe/child-abuse-clearances.html); PA DHS FAQ: Employees Having Contact with Children (10/01/2026) (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-employees.pdf); PA DHS FAQ: Certified Child Care Providers (10/01/2026) (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-child-care-providers.pdf); PA DHS FAQ: Volunteers (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-volunteers.pdf)

### Giving medication
Centers must reasonably accommodate medication a child needs for a special need but are not required to give other medication. When they do: original container labeled with the medication and child's name, prescriber's written instructions for prescriptions (the label counts), written parent consent, locked or out-of-reach storage, and a medication log with dose, date, time and staff initials (55 Pa. Code §3270.133). Staff complete medication administration training within 90 days of hire (§3270.31(f)).

Sources: 55 Pa. Code §3270.133 (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.133.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.31 (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.31.html)

### Reporting child abuse
Mandated reporters include school employees, child care employees with direct contact with children, and anyone, paid or unpaid, who as an integral part of a regularly scheduled program, activity or service is responsible for a child's welfare or has direct contact with children (23 Pa.C.S. §6311). They must report immediately to ChildLine by phone or online, then notify the person in charge of their organization. Hotline: 1-800-932-0313 (ChildLine) (https://www.pa.gov/services/dhs/report-child-abuse-or-neglect-as-a-mandated-reporter).

Sources: PA DHS: Report as a Mandated Reporter (https://www.pa.gov/services/dhs/report-child-abuse-or-neglect-as-a-mandated-reporter); PA DHS Mandated Reporters FAQ (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/FAQ_Mandated%20Reporter.pdf); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)