Keystone Crisis Care

Many families lack a support network because they are new to the area, their network is unhealthy or abusive, or friends and family aren’t in a position to help. For these families, Keystone Crisis Nursery opens the door to a support network by providing emergency child care during a crisis and guiding families toward long-term solutions.

Keystone Crisis Nursery is a service rather than a place. Child Care Action Council works with child care center staff trained in working with children in crisis, including children with disabilities, to place children in safe, supportive environments.

Keystone Crisis Care is available for families in crisis, with children between six-weeks and six years, who have exhausted all other options.

Call Monday to Friday between 8am and 4:30pm and a Keystone Referral Specialist will conduct a brief phone interview. During that interview, the Referral Specialist will help you assess the current crisis and define your specific need for child care. Leave a phone number where you can be reached in the following 1-2 hours and the Referral Specialist will contact participating child care centers, locate a placement and contact you with the necessary information concerning the arranged child care.

Generally, you will be required to deliver the children to the care location, but transportation through Village Vans can sometime be arranged. You must pick up children at the scheduled time.

Please note: participating child care providers receive special training on working with children in crisis, including children with disabilities, but may not be able to meet the needs of every child.

Keystone Crisis Nursery is provided free of charge, without regard to your income, but we encourage you to make a donation or volunteering to help others once your crisis is overcome.

Available hours of care are generally from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some centers provide limited evening and weekend care but placement is not guaranteed.