Trinity Cooperative Day Nursery (TCDN), a Keystone STAR 4 Childcare Program, is exploring a potential partnership with Swarthmore College to develop a new childcare center on College-owned property, responding to a longstanding need for expanded childcare options in the community. The new facility would create slots for much-needed care for infants and toddlers, as well as pre-k and kindergarten before- and after-care.

Childcare access remains a growing challenge across Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia region. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, many Philadelphia suburbs continue to face shortages of licensed childcare providers, and nearly half of children under age six nationwide live in childcare deserts. In Delaware County, a 2026 report by Reinvestment Fund found that there are only approximately 24,100 childcare seats for roughly 29,200 children who may need care. As a result, capacity falls short of the estimated demand by about 17%.

“Families in Swarthmore and across the region are facing real challenges finding reliable childcare, particularly for infants and toddlers,” said TCDN Executive Director Donna Wade. “We are very early in the process, but we’re encouraged by our preliminary conversations with Swarthmore College as we explore how we can responsibly expand access to high-quality care for local families.” 

Both TCDN and the College have been discussing the need for child care expansion in the area. We are exploring an option that would enable TCDN to expand its existing operation in a new facility that Swarthmore College would build on its property near Mary Lyon residence hall. The site was formerly home to two buildings that were part of the Mary Lyon School campus. The College has taken the initial step of hiring an architect to evaluate, with TCDN, the feasibility of the project, and it is also in the process of studying the potential impact on traffic in that area. The results of that study will be made public once they’re available.

“This project is in an early stage, with feasibility work underway to inform the conversation and help determine whether it’s worth pursuing," said Vice President for Finance and Administration Rob Goldberg. “We will work with TCDN to keep the community informed and engaged as we continue to assess the project’s viability. Swarthmore College recognizes that the childcare shortage is hurting families across the Borough, including many of our own faculty and staff. That is why expanding access to childcare is a component of the College's strategic plan, and why we want to be a good neighbor and support TCDN’s work to meet this critical need."

Community updates will be shared as the potential project evolves.