Q. I am a single mother of a four-month-old. I just got a job, but I am still living day-to-day, and I do not have money for child-care. I am relying on friends and acquaintances, which I know is not the safest thing for my baby, but I am not sure what else to do. I do not have family around to help. What can I do?

The panel agreed that the first message to the mother should be, “Good for you.” They praised her for getting a job, taking care of her child and being so aware that what she is doing is not the safest solution for the baby.

Pennsylvania has a subsidized child-care program to help defray the costs, panelist Denise Continenza said. “It’s on a sliding scale, and the mother should qualify.” It was suggested that she go to the state’s website for information: compass.state.pa.us, where the mother can find out if she is eligible for help and how to apply.

Panelist Wanda Mercado-Arroyo added that some churches have pre-school and day-care services. “It’s safer, especially if you attend church there.” She also said that churches have other resources or can help put the mother to contact them. “Beyond child care, she should also take care of herself,” panelist Chad Stefanyak observed. “As a working single mom, she must be overwhelmed. She needs to look for resources for herself.”

The mother can get program referral information from the Lehigh Valley Child Care Information Service (CCIS), according to Continenza. This service can connect the mother to services that help meet her needs for child-care near her work or home, and that can help her evaluate the best options. For example, she can find out if the day-care services are accredited by Keystone Stars. “Pennsylvania is very unique in that it has this licensing system in place,” according to Continenza.

“There are cases where people are making just enough money to push them over the eligibility limits,” panelist Mike Daniels said. “She can learn from CCIS if she is eligible. If she does not qualify, she should make an appointment at the program’s office. There may be deductions that can be counted. Don’t assume or give up.” Daniels added that there are also some family day-cares that are not listed on the CCIS website that are more reasonably-priced. If she goes this route, Daniels and the other panelists said, the mother should visit the home day-care and talk with other parents using the service. “She can also use the guidelines from the website to evaluate the home and staff,” Daniels said.

This week’s team of parenting experts are: Pam Wallace, Program Coordinator, Project Child, a program of Valley Youth House; Chad Stefanyak, school counselor; Wanda Mercado-Arroyo; educator and former school administrator; Denise Continenza, Extension Educator, Food, Families and Health, Penn State Extension, and Mike Daniels, LCSW, Psychotherapist, CTS.

Have a question? Email: projectchild@projectchildlv.org. The Family Project weekly column is a collaboration of the Lehigh Valley Press Focus section and Valley Youth House’s Project Child.