philadelphia has 24 home-based providers in the directory, about 100% of the local market. Home daycares can be a strong fit for parents who want smaller group sizes, but the inspection history still matters just as much as it does for centers.

A or B safety grades

Home providers tracked

Accredited or Head Start providers

Varies by county and age group; no single official statewide average published

Typical state cost in Pennsylvania

Market Notes

Common provider types in philadelphia include Family Child Care Home.

The average provider in this market has 0.0 recorded violations, while 24 providers currently show none in the data we track.

Local cost and care context

County-level childcare cost data is limited here, so use the state benchmark as a directional guide and verify quotes with providers directly.

Infant Center

Varies by county and age group; no single official statewide average published

Preschool Center

N/A

Toddler Home Daycare

N/A

Pennsylvania regulation snapshot

Inspection frequency

Pennsylvania certified child care providers receive renewal inspections, complaint investigations, and other unannounced inspections as needed. Public inspection history and complaint findings are available through the state's COMPASS child care search.

Background checks

Pennsylvania requires criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and fingerprint-based FBI checks for child care staff and other covered adults before they may work in regulated child care settings.

Parent rights

Families can search public provider records, certificate history, complaint investigations, and inspection findings through Pennsylvania's child care provider search. Keystone STARS participation is also published for providers that have a public rating.

How to use this page

Home daycare pages use the same inspection-based scoring model as center pages.

Smaller capacity does not automatically mean safer care; the record still needs to support it.

Compare home providers against the broader city listing if you want to trade off price, size, and violation history.

Read the full scoring methodology

Frequently asked questions about daycare in philadelphia

What is the difference between home daycare and daycare centers in philadelphia?

philadelphia currently shows 24 home-based providers and 0 center-based options in the directory. Home daycares usually mean smaller group sizes and a residential setting, while centers often provide more staff depth and classroom separation by age.

Are home daycares regulated and inspected in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania regulates child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes through DHS and OCDEL. Providers must maintain a certificate of compliance and meet state standards covering supervision, staffing, training, facilities, and child safety. Pennsylvania certified child care providers receive renewal inspections, complaint investigations, and other unannounced inspections as needed. Public inspection history and complaint findings are available through the state's COMPASS child care search.

Is home daycare usually cheaper than a center in philadelphia?

Often, yes, but not always. Home daycare can be more affordable because providers run smaller operations with lower overhead. Use the local cost context on this page as a benchmark, then compare quotes provider by provider because tuition can vary a lot even within the same city.