Challenges for York County Families

When we talk about the challenges facing families in York County, childcare may not always come first to mind—but it should. Behind every thriving business, every productive employee, and every stable household is a childcare system that makes it all possible. Yet, across Pennsylvania and here in York, families and providers alike are stretched to the breaking point. 

For over 90 years, York Day Early Learning (YDEL) has witnessed these realities. Families are working hard, often in jobs that are essential to keeping our community moving, such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and first response, and their schedules do not always align with the traditional daytime childcare model. With nearly 17% of York County’s workforce working non-traditional hours, many parents are left with the heartbreaking choice of missing work or leaving their children in inconsistent care. At the same time, childcare professionals, who are responsible for shaping the earliest years of our children’s lives, are earning about half of what it takes for a parent of two children to make a living wage in York County.  

This is the paradox: we cannot grow our workforce, support families, or sustain a healthy economy unless childcare is accessible, affordable, and high-quality. We cannot ensure that quality without investing in the very people who provide it. 

York Day Early Learning is proud to announce a bold step toward closing this gap. Beginning in January 2026, we will launch our new Twilight Care program, designed specifically for families working non-traditional hours. This program will operate from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., offering a safe, structured, and nurturing environment for children while their parents work overnight.  This is not simply babysitting—it is early education, guided by trained and caring professionals who will now be compensated at a more sustainable rate. 

Our vision for Twilight Care is not just about meeting a critical childcare need. It is about  creating a ripple effect of benefits across our community: 

• For families, it means peace of mind, knowing their children are cared for in a safe, enriching space while they earn a living. 

• For employers, it means more reliable attendance and improved performance from team members who no longer face impossible childcare choices. 

• For educators, it means fairer compensation and a pathway out of poverty, reducing the staggering statistic that 20% of early childhood educators rely on public assistance despite working full-time. 

• For the broader economy, it means progress toward closing the estimated $6.65 billion annual cost to Pennsylvania caused by gaps in childcare—lost productivity, diminished tax revenue, and reduced workforce participation.

We are grateful to our community partners who recognize the urgency of early learning solutions. The York County Commissioners’ office has championed this initiative as an innovative workforce solution. The York County Economic Alliance continues to elevate the importance of quality childcare as a cornerstone of economic growth. Community Connections for Children, our Early Learning Resource Center, has reinforced that this program is a win-win for families, employers, and educators alike. Together, CCC and YCEA also lead the Every Child Has Opportunity (ECHO) program, whose goal is to develop strategic approaches to doubling the number of low-income families who have access to high-quality care.  

But make no mistake: this is not the beginning, but rather a new wave of innovation. Since 1994, the early learning community in York County has been united in supporting high-quality care for  families. YDEL, together with other programs and community partners, thrives on collaboration,  and the long-term sustainability of nontraditional hours care, like Twilight Care, will only thrive  when families, employers, community partners, and programs work together to find solutions. 

York Day Early Learning is York County’s oldest independent nonprofit childcare center, with  more than ninety years of service. We currently serve over 100 children, and over 80% of our  families receive financial assistance to make tuition affordable. We are deeply committed to being both a trusted partner to families and a driver of solutions to our community’s most pressing childcare challenges. 

To our neighbors, business leaders, and elected officials, I say this: childcare is not a “nice to  have.” It is the backbone of our economy, the foundation of strong families, and the single most effective investment we can make in the future of York County. If we want parents to work, if we want children to thrive, and if we want our economy to grow, we must find new, creative,  and sustainable ways to support families at every hour of the day. 

YDEL’s Twilight Care is a local solution to a national problem, and it can only succeed if we all recognize the role childcare plays in the strength of our community. I invite families in need of overnight care and professionals seeking meaningful work to learn more by visiting  www.yorkday.org. I invite employers, policymakers, and community members to join us in building a system that truly works—for everyone. 

Sincerely, 

Sara Bradley 

Executive Director 

York Day Early Learning