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February 18, 2025 - Pittsburgh, PA

Solving the Child Care Shortage: Governor Shapiro and Lt. Governor Davis Lead Roundtable on 2025-26 Budget Proposal to Expand Child Care Workforce with Community Leaders, Parents, and Families in Allegheny County

Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis hosted a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to highlight the Governor's 2025-26 proposed budget, which builds on his efforts to make child care more accessible and affordable. Over the past two years, Governor Shapiro has taken steps to lower child care costs, and this year's budget proposal focuses on expanding the child care workforce to ensure more Pennsylvania families can access the care they need.

Governor Shapiro, Lt. Governor Davis, Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis, and key stakeholders, including President of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh Amy Kienle, CEO of Partner4Work Robert Cherry, child care workers and teachers, and parents participated in the roundtable. Leadership from the Greater Pittsburgh YMCA, Duquesne University, Early Learning Investment Commission (ELIC), and the General Assembly also attended. The discussion focused on the Governor's proposed budget investments to address workforce challenges, reduce costs, and increase access to quality child care for Pennsylvania families.

"My budget prioritizes workforce development to tackle shortages in critical sectors like child care," said Governor Shapiro. "With 3,000 unfilled child care jobs across Pennsylvania, too many families are struggling to find safe, affordable care - forcing parents out of the workforce and making it harder to get ahead. That's why I'm proposing a $55 million investment to provide child care workers with at least $1,000 in recruitment and retention bonuses, strengthening our workforce and helping to solve this problem."

Speaker list:
Governor Josh Shapiro
Lt. Governor Austin Davis
Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis
Amy Kienle, President/CEO, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Robert Cherry, CEO, Partner4Work
Tracey Spear, Child Care Center Director
Amanda Eadie, Teacher & Duquesne Student
Hana Naghamouchi, Teacher & Duquesne Student
Stephanie Curtice, Parent



Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ01.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ02.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ03.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ04.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ05.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ06.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ07.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ08.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ09.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ10.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ11.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ12.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ13.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ14.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ15.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ16.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ17.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ18.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a> Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis will host a roundtable at the YMCA Child Development Center at Duquesne University to talk about the Governors emphasis in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal on the child care workforce and his work to make child care more affordable.. .During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable and the Governors proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.<br><a href="https://filesource.amperwave.net/commonwealthofpa/photo/27285_gov_childCare_DZ19.jpg" target="_blank">⇣ Download Photo</a>